Reality Week: Booth and Brennan Edition: Part One
by Dispatch22705
Summary: Sequel to Fantasy Week: Booth Edition:::which really should be read before this one, but it's not completely necessary.
1. Day One: Sunday

Remember in 1995 when Michael Jordan came out of retirement and took out a full page ad in the newspaper with only two words?

I'm Back.

Well…this isn't a full page ad, but you've read it right.

I'm back

No, actually…

I'm back, baby! 

--b&b--

Meanwhile……

"_Listen, Bones…I have a confession to make…"_

_Her eyes widened, but she didn't comment._

_Thankful, he tried to smile encouragingly. "You see, Bones…this week…I guess I have been in my own fantasy. That is, everything you've done for me, and to me…Bones, it's been so amazing. But, I uh…" he swallowed and tried to gain the courage he needed. "I uh…I guess I've also had the fantasy that after this week, we'd both admit that this whole week was just a cover for how we really felt about each other. I know…I know that I'm…"_

_She was flushed now, and her body was tense at his words, but he continued, the clock behind her reading 11:50 PM. _

"_I'm in love with you, Bones." He admitted, "I have been for a long time. And I've been lying to myself, thinking that being in love with you but not doing anything about it was enough for me. Just having you nearby was enough. But feeling you this week, seeing you and getting to touch you, having your hands on me…Bones…"_

_Just the thought of it distracted him, and he leaned in to press a kiss against her surprised lips. He knew he'd shocked her, but if this was his last chance, he was going to go for it. All of it._

_His lips travelled over her neck, taking claim to what he wanted to be just his. There were other things, over the years, that he'd claimed for himself. Things like the way she let him call her Bones. Or the way her eyes widened when he told her something he'd never told anyone else. That was for him. That was his. Or the way her back stiffened and then curved into his hand every time he placed it there, that was his. And the way she tried not to laugh at one of his jokes, her lips smirking until they blossomed into a full smile. Yeah, baby…that was all for him._

_But he also wanted to note the new things that were just for him. The way her nipples pebbled just from his breath. The way her own breath hitched when he nuzzled around her belly button. That was for him, too. The way her thighs parted for him when he cupped her hips. Oh, yes, Bones…all for him._

_He removed his hands from her body and slid back up to meet her eyes, knowing that the uncertainty he saw there was reflected in his own eyes, and not caring. "One week, Bones. I want one week to prove to you that we can have both. One week to prove that we can be together, like this, in the real world."_

_She gasped and whimpered when he brought his hand down to her thigh, pulling her leg over his. "Only one week?"_

_Even her aroused voice held a challenge, and he smiled, leaning closer to her, "Hey, you got a week, I want a week."_

_She couldn't help but smile in return and her hand came up to cup his elbow. "I don't know…."_

_He groaned and leaned into her, letting himself slide through her heat, kissing her neck, "It's so good between us, Bones…everything between us is good." He met her eyes then and brushed her hair from her face. "Let me prove it to you. Let me prove it to both of us that we can do it."_

_From the corner of his eye, he could see his clock. 11:58. "Bones…."_

_Her body tensed and then shifted, and she nodded slightly, "Okay…yes."_

_Booth hitched her thigh higher over his hip, keeping them equal. No one on top, no one on bottom as they faced one another, and he lined himself up to her entrance. He began kissing her on the mouth, pleased when her hands came up to rest on his chest. When they caressed him, he pulled back to look into her eyes._

_Just then, his clocks chimed midnight, signaling a new day, a new week, a new moment, and he slid home. "Welcome to reality."_

--b&b--

Sunday

12:01 AM

They both paused, joined together. Booth swept a few stray strands of hair from her face and pressed deeper within her for just an instant before sliding out, then repeating the process. "Thoughts?"

Brennan swallowed and frowned slightly, her hands skittering across his chest, her thighs shifting against his. "Hmmm…what?" she blinked, then opened her eyes up to meet Booth's.

His lips curled up in a half smile and he continued his easy rhythm. "I asked if you had any thoughts about what I just shared. Anything you're thinking about."

Brennan nodded and pulled her lower lip between her teeth before nodding again, sure she must have something to say. "I um…"

Booth hid a smile as he increased his pace infinitesimally, "Yes?"

"I…um, yes…I…" Brennan cleared her throat and nodded. "I confess…mmmm…" her fingers clenched on his biceps, and her eyes drifted shut for just a moment, "I confess that I am having a bit of trouble organizing coherent thoughts at the moment. I'm sure it will pass, however, and…_oh…close_!" she pressed her face to Booth's chest, her nails raking over his shoulders, her orgasm hovering just out of reach. It took a full minute for her to realize that Booth was shaking. She pulled back a bit when she felt rather than heard laughter from his chest. "Booth?"

He laughed again and rolled over onto his back, clumsily dragging her to lie on top of him. His hands patted her back before coming to rest behind his head as a look of pure satisfaction crossed his face.

"What's so funny, Booth?"

His eyes crinkled, and he looked to the right for a moment before meeting her eyes and chuckling again. "Let's see…I made the world famous anthropological genius, New York Times bestselling author, _with a bullet_, forget her thoughts for a moment, hmmm?" he stretched his arms over his head in satisfaction and winked.

Brennan pinched his stomach lightly, and he brought his hands down in a hurry and tangled them with hers. "Hey!"

She just chuckled and shook her head. "Cocky…"

Booth just laughed again and used his abs to sit up and kiss her quickly. Brennan followed him down until his head was once again resting on his pillow. "What are you going to do about it, there, Bones?" he murmured in a low voice designed for moments just like these.

Brennan shrugged a casual shoulder. "You're so smart; why don't _you_ tell _me_?"

"I think" he began as he smoothed his hands down her back, "that you should finish what you started here tonight."

"But it's morning" she teased, and Booth smiled, leaning up to kiss her again.

"Make love to me, Bones" he whispered against her lips before lying back down against his pillow.

Sliding up so she was sitting on his stomach, Brennan let her hands run over his broad chest, fingers tracing the muscles there. Forgoing the massage oil, she leaned forward, letting her weight shift to her upper body, pressing down with her hands along his shoulders, then stomach.

"Feel good?" she murmured, then paused when Booth didn't answer. Looking down, she realized that his eyes were focused on her breasts, his face a mask of concentration. A smile crossed her lips, and she swayed slightly from side to side, watching as his eyes moved back and forth, his mouth slightly falling open. Pressing her palms to the mattress, she shifted back until her eyes were aligned with Booth's. "Everything okay?"

_Busted_. Booth blinked, and then laughed, closing his eyes for a moment. "Um, yep…everything's pretty good, Bones."

Brennan slid just a bit further and reached between them to line him up to her body before taking him in to the hilt. "How about now?"

Booth's hips rocked up, adding pressure to his length. "I'd say everything's pretty damn good."

"I'm glad" Brennan smiled and began an easy rhythm, watching his face closely.

Booth closed his eyes tighter and let his hands fall to rest lightly against her waist. This was good, and just right, and exactly as planned. Just like the night before, he'd let her get her pleasure from him, and then once she was satisfied, he'd roll her over and find his own release. And maybe actually keep his eyes open, he smirked.

Brennan saw the slight curl of his lips and her eyes narrowed. She recognized that look. It was the same look he got just as he was about to deliver the evidence to a suspect. _I've got you now_, the look said.

Well…she'd just see about that.

Rocking her hips in a swivel motion, she began sliding faster, pleased when his hips rose off the mattress even as his fingers clutched her hips. _Yes_

Booth felt her movements all over his body and his eyes flew open as one particular swivel of her hips coincided with the swirl of her fingertips over his chest. "Hey…wait a minute."

Brennan smiled in victory at the furrow in his brow, "Yes?" she increased her speed again, now not so much moving up and down as she was just rotating her hips against his, feeling him arch into her uncontrollably. "Something wrong?" she teased.

"No…I mean…yes…oh yes…I mean…it's not…I'm not…" he huffed out quick breaths and clenched his jaw against his impending orgasm, "It just feels so good…"

"I believe that is the desired effect" Brennan's lips curved up in a smile that turned into a full fledged grin as his eyes almost crossed in pleasure when she sat up and ran her hands up her stomach toward her breasts, lightly palming their weight in the cups of her hands.

"No…" he shifted and groaned. "I'm… uh, _Bones_…" he hissed. "I think I'm going to…_you know_…"

She laughed. "I _know_ that's the desired effect."

He felt really good inside her, and she was enjoying it, but she was _really_ enjoying his loss of control, and his confusion over the fact. Falling forward onto her hands on either side of his shoulders, she rode him hard, bearing down with everything she had, making him powerless to stop.

"But…but…ah…mmmmmm" he bit his bottom lip, his hips matching her rhythm, "La…_ladies_…mmmmmm…..ah! ah! Ah!" he panted and whimpered. "Ladies _first_… Aaahhhhhhh, Bones!" He shouted, releasing and reacting so strongly, Brennan had to clamp her thighs to his hips and her fingers to the sheets to keep from being bucked off.

Keeping her rhythm but easing off on the pressure, she continued to move as he came down from ecstasy. Brennan pressed light kisses against his jawline and allowed her upper body to press against his for a sweet moment, enjoying the final shudder that swept through his lean body before she rolled to the side, lying on one arm and watching him.

His eyes were shut, and he sucked in a deep breath. Booth's lips hardened into a straight line, and he turned his face to look at her, his body still unable to move. One eye cracked open, and he looked annoyed. "No fair…"

Brennan laughed in satisfaction and leaned in closer, tugging his arm around her shoulders. "Get used to it. I have more control than you."

"Oh…yeah, right" Booth groused. "I don't think so."

Pressing a kiss to his side, Brennan smoothed her hand against his stomach, the muscles there still working as he tried to breathe evenly. "I am afraid the evidence suggests otherwise, Agent Booth."

He groaned and rolled onto his side, flipping her so her back was to him, his large warm hand cupping her hip. "That…besides being fantastic" he kissed her shoulder. "Was just a momentary lapse in what I consider a four year stretch of my amazing control where you're concerned."

Brennan felt pleasure at his words, his all but admitting he'd wanted her from the beginning. "I see…"

"But I'm still not happy with you" he lied, his index finger making tiny circles on the skin of her hip.

"Oh,really?" she asked, feeling twinges of denied arousal rise in her body, "And why is that?"

"First of all, now I'm really tired. And secondly, you didn't come" he murmured against her ear, his finger still maddeningly gentle, the only part of his body moving against hers.

"I didn't go away" she rebutted, and enjoyed the way the mattress shifted at his deep chuckle.

"True…true…" he kissed her shoulder again, and moved his finger against her hipbone, lightly tracing the seam where her thigh met her torso. She shivered hard, and he paused, pleased to have found one of her erogenous zones. He did it again, and then smoothed his hand over her stomach to test out her other leg, pleased when it created the same response, if not a stronger tremble over her body.

Resting his hand flat against the cool skin of her belly, he moved her hair over her shoulder and kissed her upper back right below her neck. Brennan felt the tip of his tongue in a tiny flick between his lips, and she squeezed her eyes shut, holding back a whimper.

The tip of his tongue made another pass at her skin, this time in some sort of pattern. And then another, which was repeated, and then a little line, then, oooh… "What…what are you doing?" she panted.

His index finger tapped against her stomach, then rested with the rest of his hand, "Using my _not_ too tired parts, that's all."

Mmmmm…Brennan shifted, her hips rocking back an inch as he began his series of patterns against the sensitive skin of her back. "No…I mean, what is that pattern? It feels very deliberate…"

His tongue stopped against her skin and his lips pressed against her back once, then again, before he slid his hand lower, letting his index finger sweep down over her welcoming skin. "Maybe you can figure it out this way."

The pad of his finger swirled in some sort of pattern. One, then another one repeated, then a line, then the second one repeated again before starting a new pattern. "I don't know…" she whined, parting her thighs anyways to coax him into a more intimate touch.

Booth chuckled again, and this time she felt it all throughout her form as his whole body was pressed against the back of hers. She felt almost bound, but in a trap of her own design, as she rhythmically shifted back and forth between his strong body and his maddening finger. "Think about it, Bones. Concentrate…"

He paused, and she pulled in a deep breath, closing her eyes in concentration. His first movement curved in and out, and she imagined his finger for a moment. "An S"

"Very good" he praised, scraping his teeth against the bare skin of her pale shoulder. "Next…"

This touch circled its own self, almost entirely, and he repeated the motion. Trying to separate from the pleasure and concentrate on her thoughts, she again imagined what it would look like if he were making the motion in front of her, "An E. Two of them."

"Right again" he murmured, then made a vertical line up before repeating the E formation.

"L" she panted, "And then another…ah…"

"Yes?" he prompted.

"Seeley…" she answered, warming all over when he paused and then began the pattern again, this time with two fingers and a stronger touch.

Oh, he was good. And creative, Brennan realized as she settled into the rhythm he set with his fingers. It wasn't difficult to do, as she anticipated each letter, sliding her body in contrast to his touch. But she gasped and arched forward, when he scraped his teeth against her earlobe and changed his pattern. "What now?"

Brennan bit her bottom lip hard and tried to concentrate, afraid he would stop if she didn't play his game. "Um….hmmm…"

"Pay attention" he whispered and began again. This time a straight line with two swoops. Then two perfect circles, and then…

"_Booth_…"

He chuckled. "Yep, you guessed it…good job, Bones."

"No…I mean…" she clenched her hand on his to hold it in place…_oh,_ _right there_, and arched hard. "I mean…_BOOTH_!" her fingernails almost pierced his hand as she shuddered in completion, "Yes…oh, Booth, Booth…oh yes…"

Booth's fingers slowed along with her hips, and he brought both of his hands to wrap around her waist, clasping her hands with his against her stomach.

"That was…" she panted, letting her head fall back against his shoulder.

"Good?" he offered, enjoying the way she turned in his arms to press her lips against his.

"I was going to say effective with male dominated undertones, but yes…" she sighed, "Good works too."

He grinned at her honesty and then laughed, reaching down to pull the sheet over their damp bodies. "Do you want a shirt or something?"

Brennan paused for a moment, "No, I'm okay…as long as you are okay with sleeping in the nude."

Booth kissed the top of her head and laid back against his pillow. "I'm okay with it." If it meant she was going to stay the night, he was more than okay with it.

"I um…" she looked at him, and bit her bottom lip.

"What is it, Bones?"

Booth felt his chest tighten, hoping that she wasn't planning on leaving, but knowing that she very well could be.

"I usually sleep on the right, so…"

Translation, move over, Booth figured, and he sighed dramatically, before, lifting his body with his hands and shoving over to his left. "Picky, picky" he joked, and pinched her thigh gently when she crawled over him to lie on his right.

"Ouch, hey…" she rubbed her skin and swatted his hand away when he tried to help her.

He caught her hand in his and placed it on his shoulder, then leaned in and kissed her, gently, but affectionately. "I love you, Bones"

Leaning over her, he turned off the bedside lamp and pulled the sheet over their bodies once again.

The room was encased in darkness, and just as Booth was about to totally fall asleep, he felt her hand along his chest.

"Booth?" she whispered.

"Yeah, Bones?"

Her fingers fluttered softly against his skin, and then she pulled away. "I'm not ready to say that I love you." She whispered, her voice hesitant but truthful in the darkness.

Booth ran his hand over her thigh and cupped her hip. "That's okay. I just wanted you to know how I felt is all."

She seemed to accept this, and didn't say anything else.

--b&b—

7:15 AM

Booth stretched and groaned at the slight ache in his lower back. He rolled to his left, expecting to be able to grab at his spare pillow like he did every morning, but promptly fell off his bed, falling in a heap to the floor. What the hell?

Pushing himself up, he looked at his bed, and blinked at the reason he'd been so close to the edge of his bed. Bones.

Surprised she hadn't woken up from his loud fall, he used his hands to push up off of the floor, sitting on the side of the bed for a moment.

He was tempted to wake her up with a kiss, but found he wasn't quite ready for her to be awake yet. Because for all of his fantasies involving her, waking up with her next to him neared the top of the list. But this was reality, and he didn't want to pressure her, so he quietly got off the bed, walked over to his dresser, pulled out a fresh pair of boxers and pulled them on followed by a clean tshirt.

And the whole time, she didn't open an eye, but inherently seemed to know that there was more space to take over. Just like she'd been taking over his heart for years, her body shifted more toward the center of the bed, her arm sliding over to where his body had been.

Booth smiled as he made his way to the kitchen, careful to be as quiet as possible as he started the coffee pot. As it brewed, he rifled through his mail from the week, sorting out the bills and setting them by his checkbook for later that afternoon. Padding his way to the front door, he opened it and picked up the newspaper, smiling as he waved toward Mrs. Weatherly from three doors down. It was just like almost every other Sunday morning.

_Except…_

"Hey…"

Booth closed his front door and leaned back against it, smiling when he saw his…partner leaning in the doorway leading to the kitchen.

"Hey" he replied, and felt a warmth spread from his chest.

She was wearing one of his white dress shirts, and from the looks of it, nothing else.

"I hope you don't mind, but…it was kind of cold" she swallowed, and motioned toward the shirt.

"I don't mind" Booth answered, pushing off from the door to walk into the kitchen. "Coffee?"

"Actually, I should probably get going" Brennan shrugged and turned to walk back to the bedroom, "I have a lot of things to get done today, so…"

Booth jogged past her and blocked his bedroom doorway with his arm, "Leaving? Bones, what? But, you agreed…to this week. Don't tell me that was a lie. No way was that a lie."

Brennan frowned and stepped under his arm. "It wasn't a lie. I'm doing exactly what we agreed to."

Booth whirled around and watched as she pulled on her jeans, zipping them up under his shirt. "Well then, we must have agreed to different things, because what I agreed to sure as hell didn't include you leaving before breakfast. Typical."

"You said you wanted a week to prove we could have both" Brennan tilted her head to the side in genuine confusion. "We work together and sleep together. Today we aren't working, and we both just woke up…so…I'm not trying to upset you, I guess I just don't understand your rationale."

Booth palmed the back of his neck and sighed. She was right, technically. "Okay, I get it. We're both on the same page, but…also kind of not."

"That makes no sense, Booth" her eyebrows rose as she stood and began unbuttoning his shirt.

Booth walked over to her and stopped her hands from their work. Finishing the job himself, he sat on his bed and pulled her closer to him by the front of the shirt. "Okay…it's just a little misunderstanding, but we can work it out. I thought we'd spend the day together, I guess. You know, just…being together."

Brennan's brow furrowed, "You mean, not working?"

"Yeah, that's what I mean." He paused, considering his next words. "What do you normally do, on a Sunday, if we don't have a case?"

"I work, on a book, or at the lab."

"No, no, Bones" Booth clarified, "I mean, to relax, or…for fun."

"I…I just told you, Booth. I work on a book, or in the lab."

"For fun." Booth repeated. "That's what you to do relax? Work more?"

Brennan bristled slightly. "Yes. I enjoy my work, Booth, you know that."

"I know, I know, Bones. I know you do. Trust me, I do know" he answered sincerely, "but, other than that, what else do you enjoy? If you didn't have to do work, if there were no more books to write or dead bodies—"

"—That's highly unlikely" she interrupted, and Booth leaned back on his bed, covering his face with his hands and groaned.

"Just…" he sat up and motioned with exaggeration, "imagine, okay, Bones? God forbid, there is ever a day with no dead bodies, what might you think about doing?"

Brennan felt awkward and hesitant, and didn't enjoy the feeling one bit, "I don't know. I might read some articles, or maybe go for a run, maybe check out a museum or something. Modern art or wine tasting, something like that."

"Okay…okay…" Booth nodded, his brow furrowing a bit at her choices. "I can work with that." He snapped his fingers and nodded. "A run. Let's do it. Let's go for a run, right now."

"What?" Brennan took a step back and motioned down her body, "I'm not even close to dressed appropriately for a run, Booth. This is…this is crazy."

She turned to walk out then, taking off his shirt, and reaching down to pull hers from the floor.

Booth sucked in a sharp breath at the slight sway of her breasts away from her chest, and she paused, then turned toward him as she pulled on her bra and sweater.

"Look, Booth…I think we're not being realistic. Sex is good between us, and we're really great work partners." She swallowed, and Booth felt a spark of hope that maybe, just maybe she didn't really believe what she was saying. "Maybe we should just leave it at that."

She turned then and walked out the door, and for a moment, Booth sat there, stunned. His mind whirled as he tried to remember the conversation he'd had with her the night before, just at midnight. He'd meant everything…_everything,_ but what he'd _said_ was that he'd enjoyed her physically. He'd meant walks in the park and baseball games and just life, but he hadn't said any of that. And he knew with Bones, he had to just say it. Otherwise she wouldn't really know. And maybe all of that was just a fantasy and not actually realistic, like she'd said. He scoffed to himself and pressed his palms to his eyes. Okay, so…it was just time to regroup, that was all.

The click of his front door startled him, and he jumped off the bed. Racing to the door, he opened it quickly and rushed outside, "Bones!" he called and caught her right as she was getting ready to get into her car. "Bones, wait a minute."

She sighed and looked at him, and he didn't miss the hurt in her expression before it shifted to cooler indifference. "Yes?" she replied.

He'd really blown it, but this time, he wasn't going to let it slide. "Listen, Bones. I…" he sighed and watched as she fiddled with her keys, not quite meeting his eyes any more_. Ease up_, his gut encouraged him. Shrugging casually, he leaned up against the side of her car. "Bones, it's early. I'm going to go inside and read the paper. And I'm going to drink some coffee and probably watch the news. Around 10 o clock, I'm going to go for a run, and when I get back from that, I'm going to take a shower, and go grocery shopping. After that, I'll probably come back here, make some lunch and watch a football game and balance my checkbook. If any of those things sound like things you want to do too, then join me. I'd love it."

He didn't stick around for a response, but just tapped the hood of her car as he turned to walk back to his apartment.

--b&b--

Brennan got into her car, started it, and pulled into traffic as methodically as possible. Trying to stem her thoughts until she was home and in familiar surroundings, she turned up the radio, not really listening, just hoping to drown out everything but noise.

She parked her car in her regular spot, walked the regular path up to her apartment, used the correct key, and entered her apartment, placing the keys in their appropriate spot. Walking quickly over toward her table, she plugged in her laptop, hoping to get a head start on the morning's work to be done.

But she didn't have any new emails to reply to. Standing up and walking into her kitchen, she opened up her cupboard to get her coffee. But when she opened up the tin, it was nearly empty. Hmmm…she'd forgotten about that.

Walking over to the fridge, she eyed the most recent grocery list she'd begun, adding coffee to the list. Tearing the paper from the pad, she examined the list, realizing that it was quite lengthy.

Toilet paper

Birthday gift for Russ

Stamps

Dryer sheets

Sugar

Baking soda

Nail polish remover

On down the list she read till she stopped at her most recent entry. Coffee.

Perhaps she should do some grocery shopping today.

Looking outside, she could see the sun already shining. Since she didn't have any emails to respond to, and she had spent time during the past case-less week catching up on work, she supposed she might have time for a run.

But that was all. Then she was going to come back here and work. Alone. If Booth wanted to join her here during the evening for a more intimate setting, he could do that. But she wasn't going to spend the entire day with him. That was not practical at all.

--b&b--

Booth tied up his sneakers and stood up straight stretching out his back muscles and his waist as he turned from side to side. A quick glance at the clock over the stove showed it was 9:59. He opened his door and made his way outside. "I'll wait till 10:03, and if she's not here, I'm leaving" he promised himself. It was one thing to realize you weren't on the same page as someone. It was another thing to keep reading that same page over and over, hoping that person would turn to it.

"Hey"

Booth looked up quickly to see his partner walking toward him, her body covered like he'd never seen before. Sure, he knew she worked out. She had to, with that body, but…seeing Bones here, in jogging clothes was a change. A good change, though…

"Heya, Bones" he cleared his throat in an attempt to sound casual, "Ready?"

"Sure." She shrugged. "I've never run around here before, I don't think. Are we going on a trail, or…"

Booth grinned. "Follow me."

He drove them actually for a bit, and they were both silent until they reached a local high school.

"Are we running the track or something?" Brennan asked him, and Booth smiled.

"No, there's a great cross country course, and I have permission to run it, so…sound good?"

Brennan nodded. "Sure, let's do it."

As they started jogging the path, once again silence overtook them, but it wasn't awkward at all. Brennan knew Booth took his body seriously, he was literally walking proof of that, but still, she'd never really seen him in motion like this. His body was fluid and yet totally in controlled. It really was quite impressive. "Do you have a lot of shopping to do?" she asked, hoping to distract herself from the way his t-shirt clung to his upper body.

Booth looked at her in surprise. "Um, not too much. Just a few things." He looked straight ahead and then asked as casually as he could. "You?"

"A few things."

Booth couldn't help the grin that crossed his face, and he let her move ahead of him around a curve, just so she wouldn't see the excitement he didn't have the energy to contain. He admired the long legs and the way she could keep up with him on a run. She just matched him step for step, in almost every area of his life, and he loved it. He loved her.

Catching up to her, he nudged her with his elbow, then wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close for a quick hug while they were both still running. She lost her balance a bit, but then shoved him away, laughing. He laughed to, and they settled back side, by side.

"I have to get a birthday gift for Russ, and I wondered if maybe you'd like to help me pick something out" she mentioned, and he looked at her quickly.

"Yeah, sure" he shrugged casually, "That sounds good. What do you have in mind."

She winced, "I really have no idea."

They were approaching a hill that would take their energy, but Booth knew they'd make it up on the downward slope all the way back to the parking lot. "What did you get him last year?"

"Money" Brennan admitted. "And the year before that, too. I always say I'll get him a gift, but then I can never think of anything, so I just send cash."

Booth's eyebrows rose, but he tried to play it off. "Hey, cash is good. People like that."

Brennan chuckled. "Even I know that's not a great gift. But maybe today we can get something that will be good."

"You can count on it, Bones" he assured her, and then paused, once they reached the top of the hill.

Brennan noticed he'd stopped, and so she did the same, watching him. "Everything okay?"

Booth turned toward her with a glint in his eye, "See that tree, over there?'

Brennan shielded the morning sun from her eyes and nodded. "Yes, I see it. The SUV is just past it."

Booth grinned. "Last one there has to make lunch. How about it?"

Brennan's eyes widened and she nodded, but didn't answer, just started running with all her might.

Booth laughed and ran after her. "Hey, I didn't say go."

"Too bad" She called over her shoulder and picked up her pace. "I'm going to win, Booth"

"I don't think so, Bones!" he raced after her, catching up to her quickly. They both ran with all their might, both sort of laughing and yet also dead set on winning. Both had the tree in sight, and stayed the course, not paying much attention to the other one.

Just as Brennan reached the tree, she turned to brag to Booth and saw he was there too. They touched at the same time, then looked at one another, and laughed, sucking in huge gulps of air.

"A tie…I can't believe it" Booth panted, leaning over to stretch out his waist.

Brennan sat down on the ground, pulling in air and stretching her muscles as well, "You are a worthy opponent, Booth"

He sat down next to her and nudged her shoulder with his. But her equilibrium was slightly off from the run, and she tipped over. Booth laughed and then slid over to her, and laid down, almost all the way on top of her.

They smiled at one another, and it felt new and yet very familiar when Booth reached up to pull a leaf from her hair. "So are you, Bones" he whispered, and leaned down to press a kiss against her lips. She returned it gently, smoothing her hands around his damp neck, enjoying the feel of his skin against hers.

He pulled back for a moment, and all Brennan could see was his kind face against the backdrop of a bright blue sky. "Let's get out of here" he smiled, and she nodded.

He stood up and offered her a hand, not surprised when she didn't take it. Then they walked back to the SUV, and when she was pulling her seatbelt on, she looked over to him. "So, shopping now?"

He grinned and started the SUV, "Well, I am pretty sure I mentioned I was going to take a shower first." Looking in the rearview mirror for a moment, he spared a glance toward her, and saw the way she smiled. "And as you know, there's room for two in there."

She looked at him, and he winked. Brennan just shook her head and laughed.

--b&b—

They managed to get inside and get naked and into the shower in pretty quick time. And Booth laughed as she reached behind him for his body wash, quickly running her hands up and down his chest. He retaliated by getting some for himself and rubbing it over her back. "You're going to smell like me, Bones" he grinned, and pulled her close by the waist. "Sexy…"

His eyebrows waggled, and she slapped at his arm, turning away from him. She could feel his penis stirring against her back, but Booth just sprayed her with the water and then himself before scrubbing his hair with shampoo. Brennan did the same, and they rinsed their heads, and that was that. Booth turned off the water and handed her a towel, pulling down another one for himself. It was a little awkward as they stood there, drying off, especially when Brennan realized that her regular clothes were still in her car.

"I'll get them, Bones" Booth offered, and she watched as he pulled on a pair of shorts and raced out to her car.

He was back in record time, and she smiled, "Thank you"

"You're welcome" he smiled back. "We'd better get shopping, I'm starving."

Brennan just laughed and pushed him out of the bathroom while she got changed.

--b&b—

They picked out their groceries separately, and then met up at the cashier's station before taking their bags out to the SUV. Then Booth drove them to a Best Buy and promptly walked Brennan over toward the televisions. "This is what Russ wants. I can guarantee it."

Brennan's eyebrows rose. "Are you sure?"

Booth nodded. "Bones…it's what every man wants. It's what every woman wants too, she just doesn't know it."

Brennan rolled her eyes, and motioned for a clerk to come assist them. "I'll take three of these large ones, please."

"Whoa…" Booth held up his hands. "Bones…three TVs? That is one hell of a birthday present."

"They're not all for Russ" she explained, "Obviously. That would be impractical. One is for him" she smiled to the clerk, and handed him her credit card. "And one is for you" she added simply, not making a fuss as she walked up to the front of the store.

Booth stood, stunned for a moment.

"Booth…are you okay?" she turned, her face innocent and curious.

He blinked twice and nodded. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. I mean…yeah…Bones…you don't…I mean, wow…I don't even know what to say."

She smiled shyly, "I thought it would be a nice gesture. You did say every man wants one. And you are a man, so…it only makes sense."

Booth chuckled to himself. Leave it to her to get him a dream TV because it 'made sense'.

He laughed again as he followed her out of the store, clicking to unlock the trunk of his truck. "Wait" he paused. "You bought three TVs, though." He was almost sure of it.

This time, she did pause, and flush a bit, and he narrowed his eyes. "Bones…who is the third TV for?"

Brennan pursed her lips and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Booth recognized that look. It was the same look she had just when she was about to admit that he was right about something, "Bones?"

She huffed out a breath. "It's for me, okay? For my apartment." She turned away from him, but he caught her arm and spun her back around.

"That's nice, Bones…I think it's great that you want a TV." He grinned. "You're evolving"

"Yeah right," she snorted. "It's not even _for_ me, it's…" her voice trailed off, and she looked away, a flush on her cheeks.

"Then…who's it for, hmmm?"

Brennan rolled her eyes, but met his. "Well, I figure I should have one, since you're going to be at my apartment some, right?" she looked down to her shoes, "More than…usual?"

Booth knew what she meant, even if she wasn't saying it out loud. She meant that she knew what HE meant. What he meant by being together and giving this thing between them a real shot.

"Sure, sure, Bones" he played it off with a smile. "But I really think it's because you really, really, want this TV. I'm telling you…all women want this TV."

Brennan rolled her eyes and made her way to the passenger seat, glad that conversation was over.

Booth started the SUV, and turned toward her. "My place, or yours?"

Brennan started and froze. "Um…either one, I guess. I don't know."

Booth wanted to make her as comfortable as possible, so he shrugged and put the SUV in reverse. "Yours it is."

--b&b—

They drove back to her place, and Booth and the doorman helped bring her new TV up to her apartment. While Booth set and hooked it up, Brennan started making lunch in the kitchen.

After a few moments, Booth called her into the living room, practically giddy. "Bones…check this picture out, yeah? Baby…it is so fine."

Brennan laughed in disbelief. "You act like you are talking about a woman, Booth."

He just turned to her and grinned. "I love women, and I love TV." He laughed and turned back to the TV, using the remote to turn the channel until he found what he was looking for. "Nice…nice, nice, nice…Bones, this is going to be awesome."

Brennan finished putting their tacos together, his beef, hers tofu, and walked into the living room. "Football?"

Booth turned toward her with a huge smile. "Oh yeah…"

Brennan handed him his plate and a beer and then walked into the kitchen for her own food. Footbal?

--b&b—

For the next several hours, Brennan sat on a chair while Booth watched football on television. Just when she thought it might be over, another game would come on, and Booth would grin like he'd won the lottery, and turn to her as if she should feel the same way.

"Don't you think we've had enough football for one day?" she asked at one point, around 8 PM.

"What?" Booth laughed. "Good one, Bones."

She frowned and stood up, annoyed by his behavior, turning to walk to the kitchen.

"Hey, Bones…while you're up, grab me another beer, will you?" Booth called, not even looking in her direction.

Brennan pulled open the fridge forcefully and grabbed a beer from the side, walking into the living room, and holding it out in Booth's direction. "Thanks, Bones" he said, but never looked at her. "The table's fine."

Beyond annoyed and now pissed, Brennan set the beer down as calmly as she could and walked down the hall to her bedroom. What was going on?

She flopped onto her bed and covered her face with her hands. Okay, this had to stop. She was an adult woman. She didn't need a man around. She didn't even _want _a man around all the time, even if it was Booth. So why was she all of a sudden acting…jealous?

Was that it? Was she jealous of a game?

Now annoyed with herself, she rolled off of her bed and walked back to her kitchen, pulling her laptop out of its bag and onto the table. And after a few minutes, she was engrossed in the work she'd planned to do that day.

--b&b—

11 PM

Brennan re-checked her last note and highlighted it with her cursor, and then jumped when she felt a kiss on the side of her neck.

"Relax, Bones" Booth laughed and picked her up from her chair, pulling her around to face him. "It's just me,"

His smile was wide and he cupped her face and kissed her quickly, "Playoffs, Bones. The Eagles are going to the playoffs!" He kissed her again, tasting faintly of beer.

Brennan meant to shove him away, but when she pressed her hands against his chest, he wrapped his around hers and pulled her even closer, his hands moving down to cup her bottom. "Bones…" he pulled away and smiled into her eyes, "This has been the best day, don't you think?" he turned and looked at her computer. "But you missed the football game." He frowned. "I'm sorry that happened."

Brennan let out a laugh. "That's okay… I don't even really like—"

But her words were cut off as he caught her mouth in another kiss. "Mmmm…" he slid his tongue between her lips and pinned her hips up against the kitchen counter.

Caught up in a storm of feeling, Brennan quickly began to pull his tshirt over his head. He followed suit with hers, and soon, Brennan found herself picked up off the floor, her legs around Booth's waist as he pinned her up against her refrigerator. Her bra came off quickly, and Booth stared at her for a moment before meeting her eyes.

An unidentifiable emotion arced between them, and he leaned down and kissed her flesh, tugging lightly on her nipples with his lips and fingers.

"Mmmm…" she squeezed his hips tighter with her thighs and arched against him when he pressed his body against hers.

This was fast and out of control, and Booth was so…

"Baby, you're so gorgeous…I want you…please say you want me, please, Bones" he rasped in her ear.

Even though she never would have thought she could be, she was aroused by just his words and his kisses, so aroused that she slid her hands between them and started to unbutton the fasten on his shorts. "I want you"

Booth slapped her hands away and finished the job and began unbuttoning Brennan's jeans, sliding them down her hips before wedging his hand between her thighs.

"Oh, Booth!" she panted.

"Feel good?" he grinned, letting his own pants fall to his knees, grabbing hers and shoving them all the way off her legs. He hitched her up again, and in one thrust, buried himself in her heat, tossing his head back at the sensation.

"Yes, of course it feels good" she answered, stunned at his behavior.

He paused for a moment, and then slid deeper, rubbing against her clit in the process, and just like that, she exploded into a thousand pieces. A thousand sparks of pleasure emanating from somewhere deep inside.

Her head fell forward onto his shoulder and she scraped her nails up and down his back. "Oh my…that's…that's the fastest I've ever…oh…oh my…"

Booth laughed and wrapped her around him, carrying her easily back to her bed, where he laid her down, and fell on top over her, smoothly entering her body again. "Best day ever sex, round two…coming right up…"

Brennan groaned in pleasure and pulled him down to kiss his neck, his shoulders, his chest, anything she could reach. Her hands slid down his back to his ass, and she grabbed ahold of it, pushing him into her, relishing in the way his lost his rhythm and began moving faster within her.

"Bones…baby, you're so hot. So good…" he chanted, over and over in time with his thrusts.

Brennan arched her back as she careened toward another climax, this one faster and more intense as Booth was simultaneously reaching his perfect moment, his length warming and expanding for one final moment within her, and then throbbing in time with the beat of her pulse.

Booth collapsed onto her, and then rolled off, her hair against her neck a sticky weight. Brennan reached up to wipe it away, and then let her fingers flutter to her side, totally spent.

Booth wasn't any better as he heaved in deep breaths, his hand running up and down her thigh.

And Brennan had just one single thought as sleep overtook her. Football wasn't so great. But after football sex?

_Mmmmmmmmmmm……_

--b&b—

Thank you to all of you who have emailed me the past month, wishing me well in my craziness of a life, and to those of you who wondered if I had died or lost all of my fingers in a freak typing accident, that kind of thing you should be glad to know I'm not dead.

I hope you enjoy the beginning of this week's installment. Quick note on posting and timing…for Fantasy Week, I posted by or around Midnight each day, but that is not going to be possible for this week, because of my work schedule. Instead, I'll be posting each day's chapter by 6:30 AM EST, just so you know.

I'm a little nervous, because I feel like I have to deliver greatness immediately, and I'm not sure if this first chapter does that, but…every story has to start somewhere. Thanks for your patience. Hope it's worth the wait. Let me know what you think!!

And before I forget, thanks to Julsie Fainberg for the story idea and to Monisse for her encouragement and feedback.

--b&b--


	2. Day Two: Monday

Thank you all so much for your kind welcome back! I am glad you are enjoying this one so far.

--b&b--

Monday

7:00 AM

Brennan stirred from her sleep, wincing at the shaft of sunlight through the gap in her bedroom curtains. But her discomfort was short lived as she ran through her list of tasks for the morning. Knowing she needed to get to the lab early, she carefully extracted herself from the bed and moved quietly to the bathroom. She grabbed her shampoo and a towel and made her way to the guest bathroom so as not to wake Booth up with her morning routine.

A quick shower, cup of coffee and email check before she pinned up her hair and applied some quick make up, and then she was ready to go. Realizing that her shoes were in her bedroom closet, Brennan entered her bedroom again and quickly grabbed the pair from her room before exiting, once again as quiet as possible.

But she paused in the doorway, just for a moment, and turned to look at her partner, now lover, in her bed.

His hair was sticking up all over and his mouth was slightly open. He was laying on his stomach with one arm draped over the side of the bed, and Brennan couldn't resist letting her eyes take in his muscular body barely covered in a dark green sheet. She'd had men stay over before, sure, but never trusted one well enough to let him stay even after she'd left for the day. But now she kind of liked the idea of letting him sleep in, and she could just imagine him padding around her apartment, getting ready for his own day.

Realizing she wasn't being productive with her time, Brennan turned quickly and left her apartment, focusing instead on the tasks at hand. She was an incredibly self aware woman, and took pride in that. So she wasn't ashamed to admit, to herself, at least, that she was slightly apprehensive about seeing Booth in their work environment for the first time after becoming much more intimate with him. But, she was also a consummate professional, and so was he, and she was sure they would be just fine.

--b&b—

7:45 AM

Booth mumbled drowsily and patted around with his hand for Brennan. He frowned and cracked open one eye when he came up empty. "Bones?" he called out, but didn't receive a reply. Confused, he sat up and looked around. He could smell coffee, and figured she was just in the kitchen. Feeling more confident, he grabbed his boxers from the floor and pulled them on, heading out to the kitchen to tell her he was just going to run to his apartment to change clothes, and then he'd see her at the lab later for their regular Monday meeting.

But she wasn't in the kitchen either.

Booth's eye began twitching as he searched each room of her apartment, finding no trace of her. No note, no Bones, no nothing.

"Oh, hell no…"

--b&b—

9:00 AM

"Very well done, Angela" Brennan smiled and nodded. "Based on your sketch, I feel quite comfortable asserting that this skull is in fact--"

"—Bones, your office, NOW!" Booth bounded up the stairs to the platform, and grabbed Brennan by the elbow. "Let's go."

"What?" Brennan asked, pulling her elbow back, "I'm sorry, Booth. I'm not free at the moment." She met his eyes and tried to smile at him, but his eyes were angry. Confused over what he might possibly be angry about, Brennan schooled her features and turned back to Angela, "As I was saying, the structure of the forehead was the part I wasn't 100% convinced about, but it's clear from this likeness that--"

"Bones--" Booth growled in her ear, "I said your office…_now_. I have something I wish to _discuss_ with you."

Now annoyed, Brennan turned around. "Booth, I'm busy. Hold on a moment. Just because we're now…_you know_…doesn't mean you can come in here and boss me around."

Angela gasped. "You're now…what exactly?"

Booth tugged at his tie and huffed. "Partners. We're partners. And now I need my _partner _in her _office_."

He turned and stomped away. Brennan didn't quite meet Angela's eyes, but still held her head high as she followed Booth into her office.

Angela just shook her head. "Oh yeah, partners. As if none of us already knew that…"

--b&b—

Brennan entered her office, and was shocked when Booth was right there. He slammed the door shut and locked it. "You ran out on me this morning."

"What?" Brennan huffed. "No I didn't."

"Yeah right!" Booth ran his hand through the air, "Then what was it, hmmm, Bones? Because from where I stand, it looked pretty shady. I wake up, you're not there. There's no note, no you, nothing. What am I supposed to think?"

Brennan got right up to his face and pointed. "Maybe I was trying to be considerate and let you sleep in, ever think of that?"

Booth didn't answer, but just pressed his tongue to the inside of his mouth, his eyes still flashing angrily.

"Of course you didn't think that" Brennan sneered. "It's nice to know how quickly you judged me, Booth. And I meant what I said out there" she pointed toward the lab. "Just because I let you into my bed doesn't mean you can say or do whatever you WANT!"

"Me?!" Booth whispered in anger, "I'M not the one who just announced to the whole lab that we are sleeping together."

"I never announced that."

"You practically told Angela" Booth's eyebrows rose. "You think she's going to keep that a secret?"

"I didn't know we WERE keeping it a secret!" Brennan shouted, then stepped away from him, storming over to her desk. She sat deliberately and opened up a drawer, pulling out a stack of files.

Booth stormed over to her desk and leaned onto it, his knuckles on either side of her work "Well, _maybe_, we should have actually talked about it before you blurted it out to everyone."

"Excuse me, Booth" she knocked his hands away, "But I distinctly remember you saying you wanted one week to prove to me that we could be both lovers and partners in the real world. And I recall you yesterday begging me to spend the day with you."

"I did not beg" Booth slashed his hand through the air. "And you were right there with me, Bones. You showed up, and spent the day with me." He leaned down right in her face. "_And_ the night…don't forget that."

"I'm not the one acting like we should forget it all of a sudden." She turned away from him coldly, "That would be you." Turning on her desk computer, she tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Now, I am quite busy, as I am sure you are too, after taking a week's vacation. If you don't have anything for me in a professional capacity, then please leave me alone."

Booth's jaw worked and his nostrils flared. He cracked his knuckles against his palms and pulled in a deep breath. "This isn't over."

Brennan didn't turn around, but just kept typing, examining her anthropology journal as a reference. "Goodbye, Booth. Please close the door on your way out."

Booth growled, but didn't respond and turned on his heel. He yanked open her office door and slammed it hard on his way out.

Brennan flinched slightly at the sound, and paused with her fingers over her keyboard. Looking down, she could see that they were shaking, and so she pressed them together, closing her eyes and practicing a deep breathing technique designed for mental stimulation and physical relaxation. After a few moments, she returned to her work.

--b&b—

"Son of a _bitch_" Booth shouted and slammed his palm against his steering wheel. "What the hell was that?"

His breath was ragged and he could feel a headache coming on, right between his eyes. Pressing his thumb and forefinger there, he pressed, hard, hoping to force the pain away. "Damn it, _damn _it!"

Driving the SUV out of the parking lot and into the morning traffic, Booth rolled his shoulders back against his seat and tried to concentrate on breathing and on not doing anything stupid. Like…shooting something.

"Yeah, that's just what I need" he scoffed. "Bones getting another partner."

Just the thought caused his stomach to clench and his teeth to grind. When his phone rang, he opened it up, not bothering to see who it was, "What"

Clearing his throat and sitting up straighter, he nodded. "Yes, sir…yes, no, sir. Yes, I do know the proper way to answer the phone sir." He sighed and looked in the rearview mirror before changing lanes, "Yes, I'll be right in."

--b&b—

1:30 PM

"Knock, knock!" Angela opened Brennan's office door, "Lunch, sweetie?"

Brennan paused and looked at her clock in surprise. "Oh…I didn't realize so much time had passed. I…um…" she considered her physical condition. "Yes, I suppose I am hungry. I should eat something."

"Booth's not coming around to haul your butt off somewhere?" Angela asked, and Brennan couldn't quite stop her hand from fluttering against her neck as she stood.

"No" she answered coolly, "He had other plans for today."

"Mmhmmm…" Angela linked her arm with Brennan's, "Everything okay?"

"Yes, of course it is…why wouldn't it be?" Brennan pulled her arm back to her body and led the way out of the Jeffersonian. "Everything is perfectly as it should be."

"I thought perfect was an impossibility" Angela raised an eyebrow as they walked down the street toward the tiny bistro.

Brennan met her eyes and then chuckled. "True, it is."

Once they sat down, Angela leaned forward, "What's going on, Brennan? What were you and Booth fighting about? And what are you, all of a sudden?"

"What?" Brennan tossed her head back, "I'm the same, a human, Angela. What kind of question is that?"

"Bren, sweetie" Angela drolled. "I mean, what are you and Booth, all of a sudden. This morning, you said, 'just because we're now…you know…', that's what you said. So, what is it? What's the 'you know'?"

Brennan sipped her water carefully, 'It's nothing, Angela. We're just…Booth is just under a lot of pressure from the FBI about a case, so…that's all." She could see that her explanation didn't satisfy her friend one bit, and Brennan suspected that Angela knew she was lying.

But mercifully, Angela seemed to accept the answer, and just handed Brennan a menu. That is until…

"Well, whatever it is, I hope you figure it out. Because with the way you two were fighting…it didn't look good. For your partnership or otherwise. I've never seen you fight like that."

Her words gave Brennan pause, and haunted her the rest of the afternoon.

--b&b—

9 PM:

Booth stared at the empty place in front of him for over ten minutes. He ran his finger in a loop around the bottom of his beer bottle, took a few drinks, and then set it down, sparing a glance toward the almost completely empty restaurant. From the corner of his eye, he could see a plate of food and slice of apple pit just sitting there, and he saw the waitress pick it up, only to be stopped by Sid.

Leaning back in his barstool, Booth tilted his head to the side. "What's a guy gotta do to get served around here?'

Sid picked up the plates himself, and walked a bit closer to him. "The way I see it, there's no way you're hungry."

"Huh" Booth ran his tongue over his teeth, "How's that?"

"Well," Sid drawled, "What with you sitting there, eating your heart out for the past twenty minutes, I figure you're probably getting pretty full."

Booth's eyebrows rose, and he paused, then chuckled a bit, saluting Sid with his beer. "Touché"

Immediately the barbecued pork ribs were in front of him, followed by mashed potatoes and gravy, and the pie. But just as Booth picked up his fork, and was about to take the first bite, Sid's hand came to hover over the plate.

"Now listen here, Booth…this here's one fine plate of comfort food. But before you take a bite, you gotta ask yourself. Is this the comfort you really want?"

Booth knocked Sid's hand away. "I've already got a shrink, thanks. What I need is dinner."

Sid smiled and leaned against the bar. "No, what you need is to figure out what you did wrong and fix it."

Booth frowned around his fork, chewing the bite he'd just put in his mouth. "What makes you so sure I'm the one who did something wrong?"

Sid grabbed another beer for Booth, and set it down. He opened his mouth to answer, but then paused, and nodded in the direction of the door. "Good evening, Dr. Brennan."

Booth watched from the corner of his eye as his partner took a seat in the stool next to his. He grumbled a bit when she was served right away, a plate of vegetarian lasagna and a side salad, but Sid just ignored that and motioned with his head. "Fix it" he mouthed.

Booth picked up his beer and turned slightly to the left, opening his mouth to say something, anything, but…

"I can't lose you, Booth." Brennan beat him to it, and for a moment, he sat there, stunned.

Her cheeks were flushed from her admission, and he knew what it cost her to admit it. "Bones…" he whispered.

"I'm serious" she interrupted, and turned toward him then. Her eyes were fierce and all of that passion was directed at him, _about_ him, and Booth once again found himself speechless.

"Booth, if this isn't going to work out, then we need to just cut it out, and go back to being us. It will take awhile for us to figure it out, I'm sure…" she paused and wiped the corner of her mouth with her napkin, "you more than me, probably, since I have the greater capacity to compartmentalize emotionally."

Booth chuckled a bit at that, setting his beer onto the bar.

"But…" she continued, "I need you in my life. I want you, in all the ways we've talked about the past few days, but…if it just means we're going to fight all the time, then…it's not worth it. And rather than invest a lot into it, we should just lose our cuts."

Booth's lips curled up into a smirk. "Cut our losses, Bones…cut our losses."

She didn't smile in return, and just looked at him. "Is that what you want to do?"

Booth pulled in a deep breath, knowing it was a moment for true honesty. "No. No, Bones. That's not what I want to do."

She didn't respond, but seemed satisfied with his answer as she turned back toward her food. Booth watched her for a moment before sliding his stool closer to hers. He didn't touch her, and she didn't acknowledge him, but for now, just being closer was enough.

Once they were done eating, he paid the check, and nodded toward the door. "Let's get out of here."

Brennan nodded and led the way out of Wong Foo's, and then walked to her car. Booth walked with her, and just as she was about to open her door, he stopped her with a hand on her arm. She turned toward him and he stepped in close, almost pinning her between him and her car. "Thanks for coming after me, Bones."

She smiled and looked down, patting his hand against her arm. "I--"

But she didn't get to speak as Booth's lips caught hers in a brief and sweet kiss. A kiss of friendship and affection and thankfulness, with just a hint of promise. The kind of kiss he'd imagined giving her a thousand times, on a thousand different nights, just like this one. Letting his lips linger for just a moment longer, he pulled back and used his finger to slide her hair behind her ear, "I'll follow you."

As he turned and walked away toward his SUV, he realized they hadn't decided where they were going, literally, after dinner. But as he got in, and started the engine, he realized it didn't matter. He'd follow her anywhere.

--b&b—

Brennan reached her apartment first, and unlocked the door, leaving it ajar for Booth. She laid her keys in the basket by the door and kicked her heels into the closet before walking around the living room and lighting a few candles. Keeping the overhead lights off, she enjoyed the room's current setting. Hearing Booth's slight humming as he entered her apartment and tossed his own keys into the basket gave her slight pause. In an instant, she was transported back twenty five years, and sitting in her childhood living room, reading a book on ancient Greece. Her mother had come home from the grocery store and put her keys in the basket before going to the kitchen and putting things away in the fridge. Her dad had come home a few moments after that and Brennan could still hear that exact sounds of keys falling against keys. Most people wouldn't associate something like that with home, but when Brennan turned around to see Booth leaning against the bookcase near the entryway, something inside her clicked and shifted.

She heard his cell phone buzz, but he ignored it, just staring at her. Feeling uncertain, Brennan turned and walked into the kitchen, "Would you like a glass of wine? Or another beer or something?"

Booth followed her and shrugged out of his suit jacket, placing it over the back of one of her chairs. "Nah, I'm good. Had enough at dinner, probably."

Brennan nodded, but kept her back to him as she pulled down her box of teas and her teapot.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you in your office today" he spoke softly, and Brennan paused before moving to the sink to fill up the teapot.

"It's okay."

"No," Booth responded, coming up to lean against the counter where she was working, "it's not okay."

His cell phone buzzed again, and he paused, a slight furrow in his brow. Brennan noticed it, but didn't comment.

"It's not okay, Bones. That was really unfair of me. And I shouldn't have jumped to a conclusion like that."

"I really was just trying to let you sleep in" Brennan met his eyes then, "I promise."

He took the teapot from her hands and placed it on the stove, "I believe you, Bones."

She watched as he reached to turn on the burner, and as he paused again when his cell phone buzzed for a third time. "I'm sorry I discussed our…relationship in public like that."

Booth sighed and turned around, taking a step toward her. "Did Angela say anything to you after that?"

Brennan took a step toward him and didn't protest when he wrapped his arms around her. "Yes, she tried to get me to elaborate. I just told her that we were both under a lot of stress with a new case and that Cullen was putting a lot of pressure on you."

"Did she believe you?"

The teakettle whistled, and Brennan pulled away, taking a teacup from her cupboard. "Who knows? I doubt it, but she didn't say much more about it for the rest of the day, so…"

Steeping her tea in the water she'd poured, Brennan turned around to confess to Booth that she'd missed him, but then his cell phone buzzed again, and she frowned. "Who keeps calling you? And since when do you keep your phone on vibrate?"

Booth shrugged sheepishly. "It's not a phone call, it's a text."

"Okay…" Brennan tilted her head to the side. "Who keeps texting you?"

"It's not so much as a who, as a what" Booth explained. "ESPN…football scores." His eyes darted toward the TV subconsciously, and Brennan's lip curled up.

"More football?"

Booth smiled. "Yes." His eyes were bright and he grinned. "Monday Night Football, Bones…it's like…all American."

Brennan rolled her eyes and took a sip of her tea. They stood there for a moment, and then she tilted her head toward the living room. "Go ahead"

Booth cupped her elbow with his hand then quickly kissed her, "Thanks, Bones. Come join me."

"I don't think so, Booth" she groused. "I really don't understand the appeal of it."

"What?" he asked, incredulous, "Bones…it's football." As if that explained it all. "You know…tough and intense, and…_football._"

Brennan chuckled. "I like football about as much as you like skeletons."

He pulled back, shocked. "You hate football?'

Brennan laughed at him and turned to switch the burner to off, "Yes, pretty much."

He sighed. "Bones, Bones, Bones…what am I going to do with you?"

Brennan turned around then, and watched as he made his way to the couch, loosening his tie as he sat down and reached for the remote.

"The real question is, Booth" she murmured to herself as an idea formed in her mind, "What am I going to do with _you_?"

--b&b—

Booth relaxed into the corner of the couch and flipped through the channels until he found the game. It was just getting to the beginning of the fourth quarter, and, as his texts had confirmed, the Steelers were still behind by two touchdowns. After a few moments, he felt the couch cushions shift beside him, and he looked over. "Hey, Bones. Decide to join me after all?"

She smiled and tilted her head to the side, holding up an anthropology journal. "I figured I could at least sit in the same room as you. Even if I don't like football, it's not a valid reason to stay away, right?"

Booth felt his heart warm up. She wanted to spend time with him. "Yeah, Bones. That's great." He opened up his arm, and motioned for her to join him. "Come over here."

Her eyes seemed to sparkle with some victory, but he must have just imagined it, and he smiled to himself as she settled against his side, leaning her back against him and propping her feet against the cushions, periodical in hand. It was then that he noticed what she was wearing. Or not really wearing. He cleared his throat and shifted a bit. "Decided to put on your pajamas, hmmm, Bones."

Brennan looked up from her magazine and down to the short black silk robe she had tied around her waist. "Yes…are you uncomfortable with that? I didn't want to change into other clothes, since I'll most likely be going to bed soon anyways."

Booth tugged at the collar of his dress shirt. "No…I'm not uncomfortable with it. I mean, if you're comfortable, then that's what matters, right?"

Brennan smiled distractedly and nodded. "Sure…" she turned her head toward the TV. "Which team are you wanting to win?"

Booth blinked and then looked toward the TV, "Hmmm? Oh, um…the Steelers. The ones in black."

Brennan nodded, and he felt her hair against his side. "That's nice."

Booth tapped his foot against the floor and looked to the TV, concentrating on the action there.

A few moments later, he felt a slight tickling along his leg. Looking down, he saw Brennan's fingers were absentmindedly rubbing against the outside of his leg, down to his knee and back. She didn't seem aware she was doing it, and it felt kind of nice, so he didn't worry much about it, especially because the commercial break was over, and the game was back on.

"Tonight's game is far from over" the announcer was saying, "so don't think about going anywhere."

The rubbing of her fingers stopped, and Booth looked down to see that she'd curled her knees up to rest her magazine against them. Practical, no doubt, but it also cause her already super short robe to slide even further up her thighs, making him wonder exactly what she had on underneath.

Brennan smiled to herself and listened carefully to the game, noting the exact moment it went back to a commercial break. She forced a yawn and then turned onto her side, her head falling neatly into Booth's lap. She noticed, but didn't comment on the way he tensed, his arm coming up in the air for a moment. Eventually his hand settled on her hip, and she hid another smile at the way he tried to subtly tug her robe further down her leg.

But once the game came back on, she leaned up, and got off of the couch, making her way to the kitchen, "I'm going to get a glass of water, do you want one?" she turned and caught Booth's gaze on her legs.

"Hmm…what?" he cleared his throat and met her gaze. "No, I'm hot. I mean…good…I'm good." One side of his mouth curved up in a slightly dazed smile. "Thanks though."

Brennan merely smiled and continued into the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of ice water and then returned to the living room, resuming her position next to him, although this time, she just sat close to him, letting her bare arm brush against his, the slight scrape of his cotton dress shirt tantalizing against her.

She shivered, and he looked down, "Cold?"

"Maybe a little" she admitted, and smiled when he put his arm around her, pulling her even closer to his side. She shifted her glass to her left hand and let her right hand rest on his thigh. He caught her hand in his and smiled at her as he twined his fingers with hers.

Brennan watched the game with him for a bit, and when it went to a commercial break, she turned and kissed him, right below his ear. "I have to admit that I missed you today."

Booth turned to face her, and she took advantage of his nearness to press her lips against his, the first kiss since they'd been back to her apartment. Using all of her sensual cunning, she teased his mouth with hers, letting her tongue dart between his lips, enjoying the way his mouth was warmer, compared to her cooler, recently ice water quenched tongue.

Brennan slid her fingers out from Booth's and let her hand run up his chest around his neck, pulling him into a deeper kiss. Just as he started to respond, Brennan pulled back, hearing the announcers come back on the air.

"We're back, America. And this one is shaping up to be a doozy."

Brennan smiled to herself at Booth's stunned expression. _I'll say_, she thought with a smirk.

Booth could hardly concentrate on the game what with a lush female body pressed up against him like this. And not just _any_ body either, this was…"Bones…"

"Yes?" she asked, turning toward him, and he realized he'd said her name out loud.

"What?" he blinked. "Oh…um, can I have some of your water? I guess I'm thirsty after all."

"Sure" she nodded and handed him the glass. Once he was done, she placed it on the table in front of them. "You can have more if you want. I think I don't need any more."

Booth spared a smile in her direction, desperately trying not to peer down the front of her robe. He rotated his neck to the side and forced his eyes onto the TV screen.

Just then, the Steelers intercepted the football. "Nice" Booth pumped his fist into the air. "We're still in this"

Brennan smiled at him, and noticed that the game had gone to a commercial break. "Why are there so many commercials?"

Booth's eyebrows rose, "Well, whenever there is a stop in the game, the advertisers like to take advantage of that and sell products I guess."

"Makes sense" Brennan conceded. "Although, it's kind of annoying."

Booth chuckled. "Yes, that is true. A lot of times it takes away from the enjoyment of the game."

Sparing a glance toward the TV, Brennan stood up in front of him. "Well, I think I might have something that you might like, something that might be a good alternative, during the commercials."

Booth watched in shock as she loosened the tie on her robe, letting it drop to reveal her body, barely covered in a black see through lace bra and panty set. "Oh my God" he breathed, and gasped when she straddled his waist.

"I want you to enjoy the game, Booth." She whispered as her lips descended onto his.

His hands flexed on either side of her body, not really quite sure what to do. For starters, they wanted to push her away, just so he could look at her more, but they also wanted to peel off every scrap, just to see if she was as gorgeous as he remembered.

"Oh…the game's back on" she shrugged casually and then climbed off of him, settling back beside him on the couch.

"Mmhhm" Booth let out a noise from his nose and mouth as he stared at her incredulously.

She just smiled kindly, "The game's on, Booth" she motioned to the TV. "You don't want to miss it."

He swallowed hard and tried to focus on the screen, and not on the total siren inches away from him. Each snap felt like an hour and each called play felt even longer as his hands clenched and unclenched. There were only four minutes left of the fourth quarter, and the Steelers had the ball, only down one touchdown. Normally, all of his concentration would be focused on sending good energy toward the team. But currently, most of his energy was centered between his two nearly shaking thighs.

The Steelers made it down to field goal range, but missed, and Booth frowned. But then, the TV switched to some commercial about something, and his whole body went on alert.

"You're right" she whispered in his ear, and he leaned away from her. But the movement just allowed her to push him down onto his back against the couch cushion. She climbed over him and he gasped as her lace bra did nothing to cover her interest in him. She pressed her whole body on top of his and threaded her hands through his hair, nipping at his lips. "Commercials are annoying, Booth."

She kissed his lips for a few more seconds, then, slid her body down his, stopping at his belt. Bypassing that, she went straight for his zipper, and tugged it down, pleased with the way she met some resistance from his already straining erection.

"Bones…" his hand tugged into her hair, and she met his eyes. But he didn't stop her, just closed his eyes and tipped his head back.

Very pleased, she slid one cool hand into his pants and boxers, quickly releasing him from the confines. Circling her index finger around the tip of him, she smiled before leaning down. And just as she opened her lips to…

"Hey, hey, America…we're back, and you don't want to touch that dial, because this game is going to go down to the wire."

Brennan pulled back, sitting back on her knees. She almost felt sorry at the stunned look on Booth's face, but instead she just smiled and turned toward the TV. "Who do you think will win?"

Booth wasn't sure what he answered, but he didn't suppose it was a complete sentence. But then again, she wasn't really expecting an answer, he didn't think. But he couldn't think about anything. Nothing.

His body remained on its back, incapable of movement. Part of him knew he should put a stop to this, or keep it going, or something, but he physically could not get his brain to wrap around a coherent thought. Turning his head so he at least looked like he was watching the game, he blinked several times, all of the white lines and dark uniforms becoming a blur. And when the Steelers stopped the Bengals after four downs, he was happy. But not because of the field position. But because…

"We're not going to go to a commercial right now, but instead, we're going to toss it up to the Sports Desk…guys…how's the weather up there?"

Booth almost howled in frustration. No! He wanted commercials!

He panted and looked down to see Brennan lean over and take a drink from the glass of water. She turned to him and held it up, "Want some?"

Those words, combined with the picture she made caused his mind to ache and he whimpered. She just smiled and set the glass back onto the table, using her index finger to catch one drop of water that was at the side of her mouth. Booth watched in torment as she ran her finger along her lips and then sucked it right into her mouth. His hips rocked off of the couch, but she pretended not to notice.

Torture…gorgeous, brainy _torture_.

The team marched down the field, gaining yards, even as the clock was winding down. A quick time out was the best thing that could happen, and Booth whimpered again when the screen went to a commercial, and he felt cool lips around his swollen… "oh, baby, Bones!"

Her hands came up then and unfastened his belt and buckle, then his pants. Damn she was good. Just as she began sliding her head up and down in a rhythm completely designed to fry his brain, she stopped, sliding off of him, her tongue a sweet swirl of suction as it released him from her mouth. "Why?" he couldn't help but pant, and she laughed then, before schooling her features and turning to watch the game. Within seconds, the Steelers threw for a touchdown, and she smiled. "Oh, that is impressive."

Booth was practically shaking, and he groaned at the four words that came from the TV. That damn TV he never should have let her buy. "We're going into overtime."

Brennan stood and stretched her arms over her head. "Well, I am kind of tired. I think I'm going to go to bed." She sighed and then turned and bent over in front of Booth to pick up the water glass from where she'd left it. "I just don't think I have it in me to watch the rest of the game." She turned with a smile. "But you go ahead." Leaning down, she pressed a chaste kiss against his lips, "Goodnight, Booth."

And then she walked back to her bedroom.

--b&b—

Booth looked down his body, then at the TV, and then back to his body. Then the TV again. Oh, man…

Meanwhile, Brennan closed her bedroom door and then rushed to her bed, eagerly sliding under the blankets and sheets. She was freezing! At least, most of her was. And as she ran her hands down her body to try to warm up, she could feel her hips arch up, and knew that her torment of Booth had also left her very unsatisfied.

Realizing it was possible that Booth would actually stay out in the living room, Brennan decided she didn't to wait for him. Imagining his warm hands along her stomach, she slid them up before cupping her breasts through the lace of her bra. "Oh, Booth" she moaned, then bit her lip. Hopefully he hadn't heard that.

_So what if he did_, her libido challenged, and Brennan had to admit there was an appeal to the idea of Booth eavesdropping on her. What was he going to do if he discovered her? She'd already done this the week before, for his fantasy, so it's not like he was going to leave in horror.

Brennan smoothed her hands down her stomach, her hips now moving in time with an imaginary rhythm. Just as she let one finger slide beneath the hem of her panties, she gasped as her bedroom door flung open.

"Hold it right there"

Booth's raspy voice caught her attention, and she watched as he ripped his shirt over his head, not caring that a couple of buttons popped off in the process.

"Temperance Brennan…" he shook his head and pulled off his under shirt before shoving his pants and boxers down his legs and off in quick movements. "You are one hell of a piece of trouble, you know that?"

Brennan smiled and continued the movement of her finger beneath the blanket. She knew Booth could see what she was doing, but it just added to the whole appeal. Supremely satisfied that her plan worked, she used her other hand to pull back the covers. "Just what are you going to do about it, hmmm?"

Booth made a low growl in the back of his throat and pulled all of the covers off of the bed, leaving her exposed to his hungry gaze. "I'm going to make you so hot, you'll never be able to be satisfied without me again."

Her hips arched off the bed at his words. "What about the game?"

Booth climbed onto the bed on his hands and knees, then reared himself up so their faces were only centimeters apart, "What game?" he smirked, and Brennan smiled, leaning up to catch his lips with hers.

Booth possessed her mouth with his and grabbed both of her hands and pinned them above her head. She arched beneath him, and he let his entire aching body slide against hers, both of them groaning at the sensation.

Leaving her hands above her head, he kissed all along her throat and chest, quickly removing her bra and tossing it across the room. "Mine" he growled, and Brennan arched an eyebrow, but didn't comment as he swept his tongue across one peak, and then the other.

He continued his torment even as he wedged his thighs between hers, forcing her to open for him. With her arms above her head and her legs open to him, she felt slightly dominated, but knowing that she'd made him lose control like this gave Brennan all the satisfaction she needed.

Well, maybe not _all_ the satisfaction she needed, she realized, as his clever lips moved down her stomach even as his fingers peeled her underwear from her body.

But she tensed when he began to nuzzle between her thighs.

One of her hands quickly came down to block him. "Um…no thank you"

Booth paused and looked at her, a confused look on his face. "Okay…but…you were doing that to me."

Brennan frowned, "Yes, but that's different."

"How is it different?' Booth wanted to know, pressing kisses against her knuckles, even as she shielded herself from him.

She arched her hips. "It just is…I'm sorry, but…please…"

Booth placed his elbows on either side of her hips and then leveraged his weight forward so their faces were even, his lips hovering right above hers. "Kiss me, Bones"

Pleased at his acceptance, she clutched his face in his hands and molded her lips to his, quickly bringing her legs up and around his waist. Booth reached down with one hand and lined himself up to her entrance, letting just the first inch of him enter her.

She arched and twisted her hips, "More" she complained, and he laughed.

"You're one to talk" he growled in her ear, but gave her what she wanted. What they both wanted really, which was his entire length buried deep, deep in her welcoming heat.

"No more talking" she panted, clamping her thighs around his hips and her arms around her back.

"Works for me," he groaned, wrapping his own arms around her as they clung to one another, reaching, reaching, _reaching_ and then gasping in pleasure, their lips frantic against one another.

Knowing he was probably too heavy for her, but too spent to care, he collapsed against her, his face pressed to the cool pillow beside her face. "Every damn time. It gets better every damn time, Bones." He murmured, pleased when her hands came up to caress the hair at the nape of his neck.

She sighed, and he started to move.

"No…don't move" she tightened her arms around him. "Just…not quite yet"

Booth nodded against her neck and kissed her there, then again, everything about her appealing to him in that moment.

"_There's never going to be anyone for me but you, Bones_." He choked out. She tensed a bit, but today had been a hard lesson for him in telling the truth.

He'd always been the one who prided himself on doing the right thing emotionally when it came to her, but today she'd been the one who'd come after him, who had cleaned up after his mess of a misunderstanding.

So from now on, he was going to tell her the truth, no matter what.

--b&b--

Catch you tomorrow!


	3. Day Three: Tuesday

Tuesday: 6 AM

"Bones…"

Brennan swatted her hand in the general direction of the whisper.

"Bones…" Booth leaned closer to her ear, sliding his hand against her hair, "Bones…wake up. Come on, Bones."

Brennan rolled onto her back and peered up at Booth, "Again…?"

Booth chuckled and pulled her up by the shoulders, "Yeah, I wish. No, it's the case. Cullen called. There's a major lead out by the docks, and he wants me to check it out. Let's go."

"Why do I have to go?"

Booth just laughed at her and picked her up, carrying her to the bathroom, "Maybe because you insisted all those years ago on having full participation." He closed the door in her face, "How long will it take you to get ready?'

Brennan turned and looked in her mirror before turning on the water in her shower. "Fifteen minutes."

Booth grinned. "Great. I think we really might catch ourselves a crook today, Bones."

"That's good" Brennan's voice was muffled, and then she opened the bathroom door. "You can come in here, if you want, while I'm taking my shower."

Booth looked down to his suit. "But I'm already dressed."

"Not in the shower…" Brennan rolled her eyes, "I just meant…in here."

"Oh, yeah…sure. Okay" he shrugged and followed her inside, enjoying the way the bathroom smelled like a warm room version of Bones. A hint of lavender combined with clean towels and just…fresh and good. He took a seat on the chair she had by her vanity and poked his finger around her perfumes, picking out a couple he thought looked interesting. But when he smelled them, he frowned. They were definitely not Bones smells.

"How's come you never wear any of these perfumes?" he asked, trying to keep his mind on the day ahead and not the slick hands currently cleaning slicker skin just on the other side of a flimsy, oh, so flimsy shower curtain.

"I do wear them, sometimes…" Brennan said, "Not to work though, because I don't want to associate those scents with the smell of decomposing flesh.

Booth tilted his head to the side. "That's fair".

He opened one bottle that looked like it had never been used and sniffed. Pulling back, he stared at it for a moment. "My mom used this perfume."

"What?" Brennan called, poking her head around the shower curtain.

Booth blinked and looked up quickly, holding up the bottle in his hand. "I…I just smelled this one, and my mother used to smell like this. I haven't smelled it in years."

Brennan nodded and let the curtain slide back into place. "My mom also used it."

That's all she said, and as Booth looked back down to the bottle in his hand, he realized it probably really HAD never been used. It was just enough to have it around, he guessed. Liking this newest little intimacy he'd discovered about her, he set the perfume back into the basket, and leaned back in the chair, resting his head against the wall.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you" her voice called out over the splash of water against tile, "I have to leave tomorrow morning for New York. I'm doing a presentation at NYU, and won't be back till Thursday."

"What?" Booth groaned, "That's not fair. This is supposed to be my week." He crossed his arms in front of his chest, "I think I deserve an extra day for this."

The water from the shower shut off, and Brennan's arm reached out for a towel. Booth stood up quickly and handed her one from the rack.

"Booth, you're not being rational, and besides…you also aren't following your own rules."

Booth grabbed another towel for her to step into once she got out of the shower. "Oh yeah, Bones? How's that exactly?"

The curtain came back all the way, and she stepped over the ledge, letting him wrap the towel around her. "My being gone sometimes IS reality, so…we can't really make exceptions for it."

Booth grumbled a bit, but then tilted his head to the side, "I guess so."

Brennan smiled, pleased she'd won that argument, but also pleased that he wanted her around still. Booth leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "Good morning, by the way."

Brennan's hand slid down the front of his tie, and patted his side, "Good morning."

Booth kissed her again, and grinned against her lips. "I'll make some coffee while you get dressed."

Brennan dressed quickly and ran a brush through her hair, deciding to let it air dry on the way to the crime scene. She accepted the mug of coffee Booth handed to her, and then they were on their way.

"We're not late, are we?' she asked, pulling her mascara from her work bag and applying it while looking in the passenger side mirror.

Booth looked at her from the corner of his eyes, and a smile curved his lips. "No, we're not. In fact, we were able to save some time, since I didn't have to drive to your apartment."

He cleared his throat then, and Brennan was surprised to see a slight flush rise up the side of his neck. She bit back a smile. "And we're saving gasoline, too. How economical of us."

Booth's nostrils flared as he tried to maintain a serious disposition. "Quite."

--b&b--

They arrived to the crime scene and could see the team already making rounds. Booth put the SUV in park, and then turned toward Brennan. "Hey" he placed a hand on her arm. "Be careful."

Brennan looked down to the hand and then met his eyes, surprised at the new anxiety she saw there. Normally, she would tell him he was being overprotective, but this time she just nodded. "I will."

He squeezed her arm once, and then opened his door, waiting until she came around the SUV before he led the way over to the crew. "Charlie, whattya got for us?"

Charlie motioned with his head over toward a loading dock, "This is Chip. He's the night foreman."

Booth nodded and shook his hand. "Special Agent Seeley Booth, this is my partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan from the Jeffersonian Institute. If you don't mind, we've got a few questions for you."

"Sure, anything I can do to help" Chip nodded.

Brennan looked around the warehouse. "There have been a string of explosions, is that correct?"

"Yes" Chip nodded. "Normally I'm long gone by now, but they usually happen between now and 8 AM, so …"

Brennan walked away from where the men were talking, pulling on white gloves and trying to make mental notes of everything she saw. So far, there weren't any remains, at least, not human remains. But something caught her eye, and she wanted to investigate further. Realizing she'd left her forensics bag in the SUV, she turned and walked outside.

Just as she reached the passenger door, a huge noise and wave of pressure caused her to cover her ears. Brennan turned around and dropped everything, trying to see inside, to see if she could see…. "BOOTH!"

He wasn't visible in the crowd of people rushing out of the building. As many were rushing out, Brennan tried to push her way in, her stomach clenching in what she could admit was fear. "Booth!" she called again, hoping he could at least hear her and respond.

_ _

Booth waved his hand in front of his face, and searched in the direction his partner had gone off to. It looked like the explosion had taken place almost 100 feet from where she'd been, if he was correct. Now frantic, he spun around in circles, searching for anything that might give him a clue.

"Booth!"

He heard her voice through the noise of the crowd, and in a sea of people rushing for safety, she was moving toward him. His heart grew, and his breath caught in a way that had nothing to do with partnership, and he ran toward her. She was running toward him, and as soon as they reached one another, they froze, only centimeters apart. In his mind's eye, Booth could imagine himself grabbing her, pressing his lips against hers in a thankful kiss. Her hands would wrap around him and she would whisper his name in her ear. But instead, he could only look into her eyes, and even that became too much.

Brennan watched as he closed his eyes and swallowed hard. Her hands itched to grab his shoulders. She wanted to press her face to his chest to make sure his heart was still beating. This moment, this situation, was the exact reason for four years of steps back, of shrugged off looks,

"Are you okay" he whispered, his eyes still closed.

"I'm okay…" she answered.

His eyes opened, and they stared at one another for long moments. A slight buzzing interrupted them, and they both looked down to see they had a text.

"From Sweets" Booth opened his phone.

"Where are you guys?" Brennan read from hers. "We have a session."

Booth groaned. "Damn it."

--b&b--

"Hey, hey!" Sweets' chipper voice rang out as they entered his office. "I was starting to think you guys weren't coming. Everything okay?"

Booth and Brennan sat in their regular seats across from Sweets.

"Everything's great, Sweets. Just a regular day for us, out in the _real world_" Booth shifted in his seat, smoothing his hand down his tie.

"Excuse me, I work in the real world" Sweets asserted. "Just the other day, at the grocery store, someone asked me about the benefits of breastfeeding vs formula on the development of newborns."

"Did you get _paid _for that _work_?" Booth smirked.

Sweets frowned. "I got a free sample of Wheat Thins."

"How is this relevant to anything at all?" Brennan questioned.

"It's not" Sweets cleared his throat, "I mean…it is…I mean…let's get started." His eyes narrowed for a moment, "Everything okay between you two? Something seems different"

"What?" Brennan smoothed her hand down her leg, 'Of course it is. I mean, everything's fine."

"Besides the fact that we just practically got blown up." Booth added, and they shared a small look. "Look, Sweets…"

"Knock, knock!"

Sweets stood up, "Um, first of all, saying knock knock, isn't actually knocking, and secondly…we're having a private meeting, so…"

Caroline Julian ignored him, and pointed to Booth and Brennan. "A word."

Booth and Brennan both stood up and made their way to the exit.

"But…hey, we weren't…finished" he called to an empty office. Great.

--b&b--

Caroline motioned for them to follow her into Booth's office, and then closed the door behind her. "So, let's just get this out of the way. How's the sex? Is it good? Because it looks like it would be good. Now that we've got that straightened out, let's move on to the case." She tossed a file of papers onto Booth's desk.

Booth sputtered, and Brennan's eyes widened.

"What?" Caroline waved her hands. "You, miss genius thing, have licked your lips in his direction no less than three times, on the way to this office." She turned to Booth, "and you _sir_ have adjusted your tie four times since you've been in here." She shook her head. "That's a record, even for you."

When Booth opened his mouth to argue, she just lifted a hand. "Not to _mention_ the humming."

"Are you going to say anything?" Brennan asked.

"Are you kidding me?' Caroline rolled her eyes and looked at Booth. "Is she kidding me?" She shook her head. "No I will not be saying anything. I've got a _case_ to close. And so do you. That ring of illegal fireworks went off at the right time, in the right place, as far as I'm concerned. Here's your warrant. Now get out of here."

Booth cleared his throat. "Um, it's my office, so…"

"So?" Caroline put her hands on her hips.

Booth grabbed Brennan by the elbow and led her to the door, "Come on, Bones. Let's go."

As soon as they were out of the office, Booth dropped his hand and they made their way to the elevator. Neither saying a word as it descended, they quickly stepped off and then made their way to the parking lot and into the SUV.

Once it started, Booth shook his head. "Okay, so…what was that?"

Brennan cleared her throat. "Obviously, we are not a discreet as we think we are."

"But…Caroline, she's sharp. It might just be her that knows."

"True" Brennan conceded, "And she may have just been making a comment,"

"Which we confirmed" Booth interrupted.

"Also true" Brennan looked at him for a moment. "Are you upset?'

Booth looked at her quickly, "No…no, I'm not upset. Caroline's solid. She won't say anything. So long as it doesn't affect her case. Which it won't."

"Agreed" Brennan nodded.

Booth rested one hand on the steering wheel, and the other against the door. "Do you think Sweets knows?"

"I have no way of knowing that, Booth."

"I didn't ask if you knew, Bones." Booth sighed. "Do you THINK he knows?"

Brennan pursed her lips and looked out the window as they reached the Jeffersonian. "I think he thinks he knows, but he doesn't actually know." She turned toward Booth. "Does that make sense?"

"Perfect sense, Bones. If he found out, he'd say he knew all along, but…he doesn't know."

"Right, exactly."

Booth nodded. "So we're good there. I'm going to take the warrant back to the warehouse and round up everything I can. I'll come back later and see you."

"Yes" There was an awkward moment as Brennan paused with her hand on the passenger door.

He looked around, and then nodded, looking around again. He leaned down low, and motioned for her to join him. "Down here, Bones."

"What?" Brennan peered down at him, and he caught her lips in a quick kiss.

She smiled and pulled back, opening her door, "I'll see you later, Booth"

Booth sat up and straightened his tie, watching as she walked into the lab.

--b&b--

9 PM

Booth spotted his partner right where he thought she'd be, up on the platform, near the lab table. "Bones…"

She turned, "Booth…how did it go?"

He nodded. "We got him. Finally."

"So it was Chip?"

"I guess so, Bones" Booth leaned against the table. "His previous alibis were fake, and so once that was revealed…we matched his fingerprints along some of the fireworks, and…that was it."

Brennan bit her bottom lip and then reached out a gloved hand. "Very good". She patted him on the shoulder. Booth looked at her hand, and then at her again, leaning a bit closer to her. "Let's get out of here, Bones--"

"Hey, hey, the G-Man!" Hodgins scanned his card and hopped the steps to the lab platform. "Long time, no see." He smiled wide and looked between Booth and Brennan. "We're all getting ready to grab a drink, and you should come. Tuesday is all you can eat wing night, and karaoke, so…it's going to be awesome."

Booth and Brennan looked at one another.

"Sounds great" Booth shrugged a less than enthusiastic shoulder, "Bones?"

She smiled and pulled off her lab coat. "Sure. I just need to get my purse."

"Great, see you guys there." Hodgins smiled and whistled as he walked off the platform toward the exit.

Booth followed Brennan to her office, and once they were there, he playfully pulled her to his side. "Finally"

She smiled and accepted his kiss, letting her hand press against his chest. "Mmmm…"

They broke apart, and then pulled apart, the moment slightly awkward. But they both smiled at one another, glad that the feeling was mutual.

"How long do you think we will have to stay, Bones?" Booth nuzzled against her throat as she pulled on her coat.

"I don't know, not too long, I don't think. Since we rode together, that will be a good excuse to leave, and I have to leave early tomorrow, so that can be our reason." Her eyes widened in pride at their shared secret, and Booth laughed, tracing her lips with his finger.

"Let's go, Bones. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave."

Brennan nodded and led the way, "I like your logic."

--b&b—

Brennan made her way back from the restroom to see her partner sitting at the bar, nursing a scotch. But she just re-joined the rest of the group at the table, and picked up her glass of wine.

"Dr. Brennan" Cam smiled. "Tell us about your speech tomorrow."

Brennan set down her wineglass and smiled, her gaze moving once again toward Booth. He was looking at her too, as he took another sip of his scotch. His lips curved against the thick glass, and Brennan shivered, knowing exactly what it felt like to be that glass.

She blinked and drank more of her wine, anxious to be done with it. "Well, actually…I have to fly out early tomorrow, so…maybe I should leave pretty soon."

"Oh, don't leave yet" Angela pouted, "We need to celebrate. Another case closed! Three beautiful, single women without a care in the world, that's who we are."

Cam spared Brennan a look and rolled her eyes. "Right! Actually" Cam groused "I think that's my cue to leave"

Brennan watched Cam go and then clinked her glass against Angela's, wondering if she could see the lie in her expression. And that gave her pause. Was she identifying herself as not single any more?

Her eyes found Booth again, and by this point, he was openly staring at her. His white dress shirt clung to his shoulders and narrowed to his slim hips. She'd seen him like this many times in the past, and each time had felt a tiny stirring of curiousity. Would his face be a smooth as it appeared? Would he smile at her, or be serious?

And while she had some answers, she still wanted more. More of Booth. And if the look in his eyes was any indication, he wanted more of her too. He set his empty glass on the bar and made his way over to the table.

"If you're ready to go, Bones, I'll give you a ride. It's getting kind of late."

Brennan nodded. "That sounds quite practical, thank you, Booth."

She bent down and gathered her purse, but then felt a hand on her arm. "Bren, sweetie…don't go!"

Brennan looked up and saw Angela begging with her eyes and a smile.

"Please, Brennan…I'll give you a ride home. I want to talk to you about something."

Brennan looked to Booth, but his face was expressionless. She turned back to Angela, whose eyes showed hurt. "Please?" Angela repeated. "It's important."

"I…" Brennan paused. "Okay, I'll stay." She met Booth's eyes. He didn't say anything, but his jaw worked back and forth a bit before he turned and walked out of the bar.

Sighing to herself, Brennan turned to Angela… "What is it? Is something wrong?"

Angela tossed back a shot and then pressed her face to her hands dramatically. "It's just so confusing, you know? Hodgins, and the whole celibacy thing, and Roxie, and…I just want to know when it will be my turn to be happy, you know?"

Brennan felt a slight twinge of annoyance. She had heard this from Angela many times. There had been several late night phone calls or afternoon lunches where Brennan had tried to explain to Angela that what she was looking for, a perfect soul mate, just didn't exist. "Angela, you need to just stop being upset by it. Stop trying to make something work out, and just be yourself. There's no such thing as soul mates, okay?"

Brennan could hear the frustration in her own voice, and she tried to relax. "Stop listening to Sweets, and do what you want."

Angela smiled and lolled her head toward Brennan, then patted her hand. "Thanks Sweetie. I needed that."

"Okay…" Brennan smiled. "Are you ready to go, then?"

Angela tossed back another shot. "Are you kidding? We're just getting started!"

Brennan groaned and pulled out her cell phone to call a cab.

--b&b--

10:30 PM

Brennan paused outside Booth's door, wondering if he'd even still be awake. Deciding to knock just once, she did. If he didn't answer, she would just go home. But she could hear his footsteps inside, and soon heard him unlatch his lock.

"Hey" he opened his door in a pair of boxers and white tshirt, and motioned for her to come in.

"I wasn't sure you'd still be up, but…" she ran her hands down her thighs.

"I'm up" he tilted his head to the side. "Everything okay?"

"Yes" Brennan nodded. "But I need to know something. Are you mad that I stayed with Angela?"

Booth looked to the living room, and shook his head. "Nah, I'm not mad. I guess I was a little jealous, but…it's not like I'm the only person in your life, so…I got over it."

"I see" Brennan bit her lip, unsure of what to say.

Booth took her hand and led her into the living room. He sat down on the couch and pulled her onto his lap. "What was up with Angela, anyways?"

Brennan rolled her head back against his shoulder and sighed. "She's confused, about a lot of things, I think. But I think mainly, she's just lonely."

"Well that's her own fault" Booth scoffed, and Brennan turned to face him.

"How's that?"

He shrugged and sat up, "Well, she kind of sabotages every romantic relationship she's in, and now she's doing this celibacy thing for all the wrong reasons. I mean, Sweets isn't her doctor; he's her friend, or work colleague or whatever. So if she is blaming her lack of love life on him, that's crazy. And she's not doing it for the right reason, which Sweets claims was that she would learn more about herself and human one on one relationships."

Brennan frowned, and looked at her hands.

"What's wrong, Bones?" Booth smoothed her hair from her face, "You don't agree with me?"

"No, I do agree with you, Booth" Brennan met his eyes, 'I just have a feeling that we are agreeing for completely different reasons, though."

Booth's eyebrows rose. "What are you thinking, then?"

"Well…" Brennan paused, "Angela has this idea about a soul mate, and true love, and she's being irrational. She's trying to manufacture this…_thing_ that doesn't exist, and she gets disappointed over and over when it doesn't work out."

"Hmmm…." Booth rested his arm along the back of the couch. "Interesting."

"You don't agree with me, do you." Brennan stated, moving to rise up off of the couch.

But Booth just pulled her back down on to his lap, "Hey, wait a minute, Bones. I didn't say that." He paused and looked away. "Honestly? Yeah, I don't agree with you 100%. You know I believe in love. But I guess I just don't think that my version of it and Angela's version of it are the same. So, I'm not trying to judge her, but I just don't see her methods as very effective, that's all."

"What about you?" Brennan asked, a hint of challenge to her voice. "Are your methods effective?"

Their eyes met, and Brennan saw a flash of hurt. "Sorry" she apologized. "I shouldn't have said that. I think I'm just…"

"Just what, Bones?" Booth asked, letting his fingers rub gently along her spine.

She sighed and leaned into his touch just a tiny bit more. "Angela said something to me tonight before she got out of the cab that was actually rather hurtful. And she was drunk and all, but…I think she meant it."

"What did she say?"

Brennan felt Booth's hand slide up her back to cup her neck where he began a relaxing massage of her muscles there. She closed her eyes, and, "She said the only reason she asks me for advice in personal matters is so she'll know what to do…the exact opposite."

Booth's hand paused, just for a second, but then picked up the soothing massage. "Ouch. Did you tell her that it hurt your feelings?"

"No, what was I supposed to say? She acted like it was this amazing revelation and then she proceeded to hug me and thank me." She sighed and rested her hand on Booth's chest. "I feel like we're making Angela out to be a flake, and I don't want that."

Booth grabbed her hand and twined his fingers in hers. "Hey, you know I like Angela, and I know she's a good friend to you."

Brennan paused. "Last week, Angela told me that you were my best friend now."

"She did?"

"Yes…I had forgotten about that until just now." Brennan's expression grew distant. "Perhaps she is also feeling like I am not there for her anymore."

Booth tilted his head to the side, "It sounds like you are right, but mainly, I'd say it sounds like Angela is just really confused."

"But she doesn't have to be, that's the thing!" Brennan exclaimed and stood up suddenly, "That's…that's the problem with 'love' and all of that. It sets these unrealistic expectations that can never be met. I mean…what is love, anyways?"

She was pacing the living room, and she turned to Booth.

He knew this was an important moment, "I…it's hard to explain. It's…romance, and trust, and passion…I don't know how to explain it…it's just more."

"I refuse to believe that" Brennan paused. "And I resent being made to feel as if I'm somehow lacking because I don't feel this mysterious 'extra' thing that only seems to bring about more pain." She huffed out a breath, her eyes begging him to understand. "If love is made up of commitment and trust, and passion, and loyalty, and all of those things I already have for you…why do I have to have anything else? To me, it's about trust. Trust is the most important thing. Because, I have seen the way 'love' treats people who believe in it, and I just…I don't know."

Booth stood up then and met her in the living room. For a moment, they just stood there. His hand came up to brush her hair behind her ear, and he leaned down to press his forehead against hers. "You're not lacking, okay? I'm sorry if I made you feel that way. But Bones…I still believe in love. I see your point, and I still love you. I can't explain it."

He pulled back and chuckled. "And maybe you're the one who's got it right, and it's just us mere mortals who need the word love to help figure things out. We don't all have genius vocabularies" he teased.

Brennan smiled, "I'm still not convinced…but I promise to at least keep thinking about it."

"And I promise" Booth kissed her lightly, "That that is good enough for me."

He pulled her arms around his neck, then bent down and picked her up clear off the floor.

"Hey!" She protested. "What are you doing?"

Booth chuckled and began walking toward his bedroom. "I'm carrying you to my bed"

Brennan wanted to protest at his highhandedness, but instead, appealed to him another way, "What about your back?"

Booth walked into his bedroom and sat on his bed, moving her to stand in front of him between his legs. "It survived."

His hands went to her waist, and hers remained around his neck. "I'm glad you're here tonight, Bones"

He leaned into her stomach and pressed his face there for a moment. The past two nights he'd been swept away by lust for her, and love, but tonight, he was going to take his time and show her how much he cared for her. Leaning back, he began unbuttoning her dress shirt, smoothing it off of her shoulders. His fingers traced from her shoulders to her elbows, then down to her wrists before moving back up. "I think you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

Brennan let one of her hands caress the back of his head. "That's highly unlikely."

Booth scoffed and let his fingers move toward her waist. "I think I'm the judge of that, thank you very much."

Brennan chuckled, and then sucked in a breath as his lips and fingertips made soft unpredictable patterns over her bare stomach. "Booth…"

He kissed her belly button and then smiled against her stomach, and Brennan remembered the look in his face from the bar, and she trembled.

His hands grew purposeful then, as he unbuckled her pants, smoothing them down her waist, past her thighs and knees. Brennan helped by kicking them away until she stood in just her light pink bra and panty set.

Booth's fingers traced over the satiny material, "Pretty. Very pretty."

His hands went around her waist and up to unclasp her bra. Brennan moved her hands to her sides, and allowed him to peel the straps from her arms. Even though he'd seen her like this quite a bit recently, he still pulled in a sharp gasp at her sweet curves. Smoothing his hands down her waist, he worked his thumbs into the waistband of her panties and pulled them down as well, admiring her tone legs in the process. "The prettiest" he whispered as his hands came up the backs of her legs to cup her rear end.

But he released her then, and stood up. He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it over by his nightstand and then bent over to take off his boxers, leaving him as bare as her.

Pulling her onto the bed, they kneeled and faced each other. Their eyes met, and both were reminded of that morning, of the emotion they'd felt but had been forced to conceal.

In an instant, his lips were on hers, and her fingers clutched his biceps.

"Booth…today, it was…" she panted into his ear as he slid his hands down her back.

"I know…I know, Bones" he leaned down and whispered kisses against her chest, enjoying the way she strained toward him, the way her fingers pressed to his head to encourage him. It was easy to give into her, because what she wanted was what he wanted, and his lips opened to suckle lightly on her skin.

She gasped, even as she let her hands roam over his chest. Her fingers explored his every muscle, his every breath.

Booth increased the pressure on her breast and let his hands slide down her stomach to either side of her sex. He cupped her thighs and applied pressure there, pleased when she began a needy little bump and grind, desperately trying to get him closer to what she wanted.

Taking matters into her own hands, Brennan reached between them and began smoothing her hand up and down Booth's aching cock, and he tossed his head back on a deep groan. "Okay, okay, I get it" he panted, and knocked her hands away from him.

Booth turned and made his way to the headboard of his bed, sitting upright against it. He motioned for her to join, him and enjoyed the view when she crawled over to him. Locking her arms and legs around him, he entered her slowly, loving the way her eyes glazed over, the way her lips parted. He was sure it was just for him, and as he began to move, he knew his passion was just for her.

It was slow and meaningful and passionate. They began to rock back and forth together and their eyes locked together. No words were needed as they moved fluidly, her body a welcome haven for his pistoning strength. But his strength was reflected in her as well, in the way she maintained his rhythm, the clench of her arms around his shoulders. And her acceptance was matched by him, too, as his eyes warmed with approval, his hands tender as they stroked her back. Equal participation, he'd reminded her, this morning, and this moment was over four years in the making.

Booth felt a momentary pause as he felt himself begin to gather, but he shouldn't have. Because just as he was about to warn her of his impending explosion, her neck fell back and her nails raked his shoulders. Her body began to clench and unclench around his in time with her moans, and her name fell from his lips just as his release reached a tipping point inside of her.

Breath shuddering, he pulled her closer and kissed her, frantically at first through the last stages of their mutual orgasms, but as they both began to settle, their lips grew softer.

It was hard for him to put words into the way he felt at that moment. And as he took her in his arms and tugged her to lay down beside him, he felt like they'd reached a milestone. He grabbed his discarded tshirt from the nightstand and pulled it over her body, kissing her lazily as the soft cotton covered her down to her upper thighs. He pulled on his boxers and tucked her close to his side. They'd survived an official day together, and all of those other nights after hard cases of sleeping alone, or even with someone else just to get by, for Booth, it almost seemed worth it to get to this point. But they'd talked a lot tonight, about emotions, and he didn't want to put more pressure on her. Not now. He could only hope that she felt the same way.

Brennan enjoyed the way the smooth cotton clung to her body, the way she felt enveloped by Booth, both in his shirt, and by the way his arms wrapped around her shoulders. It made her wonder about the past. About who else he might have done this will, after a long day at work and a quick drink at a bar. Knowing she didn't have a right to feel jealous, but still acknowledging the twinge, she pulled back, looking into Booth's eyes. His inherent goodness was evident there, and she wanted to express how she felt, even if it might not be enough.

Rising up slightly, she leaned over him to turn on his side table lamp, wanting to ensure he could see her as well as hear her.

"Everything okay, Bones?" he asked, rising up on to one elbow.

But Brennan stopped him with a hand on his lips. She let it curve down to his shoulder, and she pressed him back into the mattress. "I trust you, Booth. I trust you more than I've ever trusted anyone, in my whole life."

Booth knew what it cost her to confess that, and he nodded, pulling her head down for a sweet kiss of affection. "Thank you, Bones. I feel the same about you."

Satisfied that he understood, she pulled back and turned off the light before letting him pull her back into his arms, both drifting off to a contented sleep.

--b&b--


	4. Day Four: Wednesday

First of all, thanks for your patience on Chapter Three. I thought once I replaced my Author's Note with the actual chapter that it would send out a little email to all y'all who have it on story alert, but I don't think it did. So, if you haven't read chapter three, please do so before you read this one!

Thank you everyone for all of the kind reviews. And I noticed that this story has had over 2,000 visitors so far! Wow! That is so kind. I thought it was especially cool how many countries are represented by the readers of this story. Drop me a line and tell me where you're from! I'd love to know what you think! 

As a disclaimer, I'm sorry this chapter is so short. I'm still not feeling amazing, but want to stay on track. But enough about me…let's get on with a little more 'reality', shall we?

_**--b&b--**_

The alarm on Brennan's cell phone chirped once, then twice in the regular pattern. She smoothed her hand around her, trying to find it to turn it off, but it always seemed just out of reach. Cracking open one eye, she rolled onto her back and was struck with the sensation of spinning. This room was unfamiliar, and for an instant, she wasn't sure where she was. She closed her eye, and then opened both of them, and once they adjusted to the dim light, she recognized her surroundings. The darker wood dresser, the hockey stick in the corner, the slightly snoring man beside her.

And the memories of the night before flooded her senses. Memories of Booth's hands and lips and words. A smile curved on her lips, and she stretched deliciously into the mattress. Her toes curled into the sheets, and she could feel the slightly starchy fabric against her thighs where Booth's soft t-shirt ended and her skin began.

But through her morning haze, her cell phone continued to penetrate, and she blinked, sitting up quickly. She had a plane to catch.

Scrambling off of the bed, she dug around in the pile of their discarded clothes for her pants. Pulling out her phone, she quickly shut off the alarm, wondering how Booth had managed to sleep through the whole thing. She eyed his form as she pulled on her pants. Deciding not to bother with the rest of her clothes, she kept his shirt on, and reached for her shoes. Brennan pulled them on quickly and shoved her cell phone into her pants pocket, turning to leave as quietly as she could.

But at the edge of his bedroom, she paused. Turning quickly, she bit her lip. Should she let him know she was leaving? He knew she had to leave. So it wasn't like she was 'sneaking out' on him, as he'd say. So that was the problem. Should she wake him up, and risk annoying him, or leave, and risk…hurting him, she supposed.

Inching toward the bed, she sat down on the mattress, her hip curving into where his curved in from his waist. "Booth…"

He didn't respond, and Brennan almost changed her mind. But then she placed both hands on his shoulders and shook them a bit. "Booth…"

"Hmmm" He shook slightly, and his eyes opened wide, confusion shining through. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, I'm just…" Brennan pulled her hands back. "I'm getting ready to leave. I'm sorry I woke you up. Go back to sleep. I never should have…"

She turned to leave, but he awkwardly grabbed her by the hips and pulled her back down. She fell back and her elbow landed on his stomach.

"Oof…" he groaned, and his hands flexed on her hips. "Hey…"

She turned to him, and their eyes met. It was awkward, but he didn't seem upset. Just…awake. " I have to leave. I have to run to my apartment and get my suitcase and go to the airport."

Booth ran his hand over his face and blinked a few times. "Okay, I'll take you, if you want."

"No, no." Brennan insisted. "I've already called a cab, and I'm just going to leave my car at the airport, like I always do."

"Hmmm…" Booth fell back down to his pillow. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." She paused, and then leaned down to press a quick kiss against his lips. "I will…see you tomorrow."

His hand came up to the back of her head and he pulled her down for another kiss. "See you, Bones" he mumbled, already falling back to sleep.

Brennan extracted herself from his hold, and quickly made her way outside just in time as the cab to pulled up to the curb.

--b&b—

2:16 PM

Booth snagged the remaining chocolate doughnut from the FBI break room and pumped his fist in victory."Score one, team Booth". He grinned as he put a bite in his mouth and pulled out his phone to call his partner and let her know of his tiny victory and that he'd be over with her half of his prize. But then he paused as he realized she was busy today. She wasn't just a few miles away like she normally was.

He didn't want to bother her, so he just closed his phone and wrapped her half of the donut in a napkin.

5:41 PM

Booth stared at his phone again, wondering when he'd become so dependent on hearing her voice. He was sure they'd gone days before without talking, and hell, he'd been alive for decades without even knowing her. And he'd never really been the type to be on his phone all the time with girlfriends either. He just rolled his eyes and closed his phone, not dialing the number he knew by heart.

--b&b--

10:15 PM

Brennan sighed and lowered her lavender scented eye pillow over her eyes. Sinking into the plush mattress, she enjoyed the way sheets felt against her skin. Today had been a good day. Tiring, but good. And not unlike many previous days, as her body began to relax, her mind turned toward her partner. Seeley Booth.

But there were a couple of differences in her thoughts. For one, he hadn't been far from her mind all day. That wasn't necessarily different; rather it had been just more acute. On the other hand, in the past, in moments like these, she'd allowed herself the luxury of fantasizing about him sexually. She would imagine him standing right in front of her. Their eyes would meet, and then, just when she thought he might look away, he'd keep looking at her, and the right side of his mouth would tilt up in a confident smirk. Booth was such an enigma. On the surface, he seemed so simple, but his easy confidence and humor hid complicated feelings and layers.

But in her fantasies, there wouldn't be any evaluation. Just passion.

She would imagine Booth standing at the foot of her bed, smiling at her. Sometimes he'd undress for her, sometimes he'd let her do it. But always, he would tuck his index finger under her chin and then lean in. And just as his lips would reach hers, she would tremble so violently, it would take her a moment to reconcile her fantasy with reality.

Even now, she could feel her body warming up, in anticipation. But now, she knew what it felt like to have Booth's hands on her. To see him smile, his eyes roll back with pleasure. She could hear the way his voice grew deeper in the moment right before his orgasm. Mmmm……

Her hips shifted in expectation of his warm dry palms, and Brennan frowned when she realized Booth was hundreds of miles away.

But it didn't stop her from feeling a tiny tingle at the base of her spine. In small increments, it seemed to grow stronger in frequency and was joined by a short beeping noise. Hmmm…what?

Brennan lifted her eye mask and realized that her cell phone was vibrating. "Brennan" she answered quickly.

"Uh, hey."

A warmth spread through her chest, and Brennan laid back against her pillows. "Hello, Booth."

"I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"No…no. I'm in bed, but I was awake." _Thinking of you_ she almost added. "Everything okay?"

"What?" he asked, "Oh, yeah. Everything's great. I um…just wanted to talk to you at least once today, that's all."

"Oh…"

"How was your speech?"

Brennan settled deeper into the mattress, "It went really well, actually. Several of the students seemed to actually be interested in anthropology and not just meeting a famous author."

"Nice" Booth chuckled "It also doesn't hurt that you're so gorgeous."

There was silence on the other line, and Booth froze.

"Uh…sorry." He tried to cover up his mistake.

"No…don't be sorry" Brennan bit her bottom lip. "Thank you for the compliment. I'm just…not used to that yet. But it should be expected."

Booth sighed to himself in relief. "You're welcome. _Gorgeous_" he teased.

Brennan laughed, and he continued.

"I'll bet you were wearing a dress that broke all those college boys hearts, too." He smiled, totally able to imagine it.

"I don't know about that" Brennan replied, reaching over to turn on the side lamp, "It was just a simple black dress."

"Hmmm…no such thing, Bones. Especially if you're the one wearing it."

Brennan chuckled. "Well, I'm not wearing it now."

Booth barked out a laugh, and then paused. "What _are_ you wearing?" he joked, wondering if she would get the reference.

"Nothing" she answered matter of factly. "Well, my scented eye mask, but…"

Booth groaned, already regretting his joke. "Oh, that is so not fair" he muttered.

He could just imagine her too. Lying on her back, prim, but sinful in a way that blew his mind every time. And she'd had a mask over her eyes. God help him.

"Booth? Booth?" she was saying, and he realized he'd let his mind wander.

"Oh, uh…yeah, hey, Bones…" he chuckled nervously, glad she couldn't see the way he was shifting on his bed, desperately trying to keep his hands above his waist.

"Everything okay? You seemed to have stopped listening."

"I was a little distracted, that's all" Booth admitted, then cursed himself, wondering why he couldn't just keep his mouth shut.

"Distracted? By what?" Brennan asked. "Something at your apartment?"

It would be so easy to say yes, a noise, a bird outside, anything, just to get her off this track. "No, Bones…"

"By what then?"

Booth laughed, "By you lying naked in your bed, and my being not anywhere near you."

Brennan's hips arched of their own volition, and her free hand smoothed down her stomach. "What are you suggesting?"

He coughed, "Suggesting? I'm not suggesting anything…"

There was a pause, and then…

"Why, Bones? What are _you_ suggesting?"

Brennan paused, and then realized a possibility was available to her. It might take some convincing on Booth's part, but… "We could have phone sex."

"Bones…" he groaned, and she could just imagine him shifting on his bed.

"Are you in bed?" she asked, already warming up to the picture in her mind.

"Y-yes" he muttered.

"What are you wearing?"

Booth could swear her tone of voice hadn't changed a bit. She could be discussing science or a lecture, but it still didn't stop him from laying his phone on his pillow and pressing the speaker button. "Just boxers for me."

"So…are we going to do this?"

Booth paused, "I guess. I mean, I want you. I've never done this before, so…it feels kind of weird. Like I'm…I don't know, cheating or something."

"I want you too. I've been thinking about you, and how I used to fantasize about you."

Oh,baby! Booth muffled a moan into his pillow and then looked up. "Oh yeah? No kidding."

"Yes" she answered, again very matter of fact. But damn it if it wasn't her cool collected tone of voice that was turning him inside out. Sure, he loved it when her voice got husky and she whispered his name in pleasure. Or when her eyes grew bright and her whimpers grew louder with each second of their time together. But he'd be lying if he didn't say that her science voice made him want to kiss her till forever and make her scream.

"In fact, I think I will indulge in a fantasy now, Booth."

"No" Booth growled, and Brennan paused.

"What?"

"I said" Booth turned over onto his stomach and stared at the phone. "No fantasy. If anyone is going to help you…_you know_…it's going to be me. The real me."

--b&b—

Brennan set her phone beside her on her pillow and looked at it before turning over onto her stomach. The press of her breasts against the cool sheets caused a tingle of pleasure to course through her body, and she groaned in anticipation. "Okay…do you want to tell me what to do? Or do you want me to tell you what I do?"

Booth closed his eyes tight and clenched his fist to his side. "I'll tell you."

_Yesssss_…..Brennan closed her eyes and let her hands fall to her sides. "Should I lie on my back or my stomach?"

Booth paused and inhaled sharply through his nose. "Um, your back. Please" he added, and he could hear her chuckle on the other line followed by what he could only guess was the rustle of her bare body on soft sheets. "And pull your mask down over your eyes, too."

Ooh…nice, Brennan thought, and leaned over to turn off the lamp before doing as Booth suggested. Once she was enclosed by darkness, she rested her arms at her sides. "Ready."

"Okay, um…take your right hand and run it from your left wrist up to your shoulder, and then back down."

Brennan did as he requested, her hips squirming, just from the sound of his voice and the smooth touch. "That feels nice."

"I'm glad" Booth answered. "I want everything to feel nice. Now, do that again, and then switch arms."

"Yes, Booth" she complied, letting her fingers do the work. He'd been smart to ask her to cover her eyes, as the darkness added much to her fantasy.

"Now" Booth cleared his throat. "Are you really totally naked, except for your mask?"

Brennan nodded, and then remembered he couldn't see her. "Yes, yes, I am."

"Good" he gasped, and then cleared his throat again. "Let's um…how, um…how do you want it, Bones?"

She could just imagine his face and neck flushing at the question. Running her hands over her torso, she could feel that her nipples were already peaked, the result of his low voice and the cool air in the room. Her slight touch caused them to tighten further, and even without touching below her waist, she could feel moisture beginning to pool between her thighs.

"Bones?"

"I think I'm ready for you."

"_Fuck_" he gasped and his hips shot forward, pinning his aching cock between his stomach and his mattress. Forcing his hands to his sides, he concentrated on trying to make this good for her.

"Okay…" his breath was coming in heavy pants already, "go ahead and take the backs of your hands and bring them to your stomach. Let them slowly rise up your body toward your breasts. Cup them, and then let me know how that feels."

"Oh…Booth. Oh, it feels so good" she panted, and he couldn't resist reaching down for just one tug.

"I'm glad it feels good, Bones. Can you imagine me there with you? Can you imagine it's my hands on you?" Please say yes. He needed to hear her say it.

"Yes, oh _yes_!" she agreed. "I need more, Booth. _Please_"

It was the please that put him over the edge. He'd never been able to deny her anything, and he wasn't about to start now. "Okay, baby…

"Please, oh please" she repeated, her hips circling in the air by this point. It never ceased to amaze her how quickly Booth was able to bring her to orgasm. Although they'd never tried it, she wondered if he would be able to do it just from talking to her. It was almost tempting to try, but then…

"Slide your hands down to your thighs, please" he murmured, and the low timbre in his voice caught her attention. It was the same tone he had when he was growing aroused. Now picturing him equally as turned on as her, she quickly did as he instructed, barely skimming the outside perimeter of her sex.

"Don't tease me, Booth. Please…"

Booth almost laughed at the irony of her words. He was teasing HER? Tell that to his aching cock. Indulging himself with another tug, and then another.

"Booth…Booth!" her voice over the line reminded him that he was leaving her hanging.

"Touch it, Bones…please…do what feels good, baby. Tell me how it feels."

"Oh Booth!" Brennan gasped, her pleasure increasing as she slid her fingers over her sex, not penetrating, but teasing. "Do you know how good it feels?"

"Yeah, baby. I know" he growled and her hips pushed up into her hand. "Tell me more."

"I'm so wet. Just for you." Her words were barely coherent as she allowed her fingers to slide into her heat, imagining Booth lying next to her, a teasing smile on his lips. In her mind, he was fully clothed in a tuxedo, and he smiled before sliding down the bed. Settling himself between her thighs, he petted her lightly, and began to lean down to kiss her.

"Booth!" Brennan exclaimed, and he groaned.

"Tell me, baby…please tell me."

"I…" but she couldn't say it, could only imagine how it would feel. Using her thumb, she pressed gently, imagining the warm slide of his tongue. He looked up at her then, and winked, and that was it.

Fireworks, flowers, explosions, lights, sounds, and "BOOTH!" she shouted. "Booth…oh…yes…oh, yes, yes, YES…" she pressed her palm against herself and then turned over onto her stomach for the best pressure. Her breasts felt heavy with pleasure and she groaned again, "Oh yes…mmmmmmm"

Booth bit his pillow hard and called out her name, his legs straining, his arms grabbing the slats of his headboard. "Bones….oh, so good…so good…"

Brennan came down from her high and then rolled over, tearing off her mask and picking up her phone, cradling it with both hands. "Okay" she panted. "Now it's your turn."

Booth grunted out a laugh. "Um…already taken care of Bones…you talked me right into that one."

Brennan purred in satisfaction and enjoyed the way fluttering of pleasure still coursed through her body. "I missed you" she confessed, and wondered if she'd said too much.

But Booth just sighed deeply, and she could imagine him bringing his phone to his ear. "I missed you too, Bones. I um…I guess I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

She nodded, "Yes, tomorrow."

Hesitantly, she closed her phone, not quite wanting to lose the connection. Pulling in a deep breath, she pulled her covers over her body, wondering why her arms felt empty all of a sudden.

Booth closed his phone and stared at for long moments before tossing it onto the table beside his bed. He laid on his back and covered his eyes with his arm. He was addicted to her. How he'd managed to avoid this for years, he now had no idea. But he knew one thing. He wasn't going to let her get away. This was it. She was his. And he was hers.

And he was going to see her tomorrow.

--b&b—

And I'll see YOU tomorrow!


	5. Day Five: Thursday

Sorry I'm late. But hey, in my defense, it's Thursday somewhere in the world, right?

Thanks for all the reviews and comments and story adds, and all of that.

Cheers….

--b&b--

Thursday:

11 AM:

Booth leaned back in his chair at his desk, tossing his baseball up in the air a bit, whistling slightly. He had all of his paperwork done, miraculously, and nothing new across his desk. Which was just fine with him because, "Bones is coming back tonight" he grinned and tossed the baseball up in the air again. Just then, his phone rang, and he leaned over to open it, pulling it up to his ear. "Special Agent Seeley Booth" he answered with a smile.

"What?" he sat up quickly. "Oh, wow…I'm sorry. Really sorry. No, yeah. Of course…it's no problem."

He sighed, "How can it be a problem? You know it's never a problem"

Checking his watch and grabbing his keys, he stood up, "Yeah, I'll be right there."

--b&b—

3:57 PM

"Greetings passengers"

Brennan closed her magazine and looked out the airplane window.

"We're beginning our descent to Dulles, and are expecting no delays. We'll get you off the plane and to your luggage just in time to sit in traffic."

Many passengers chuckled at this, and Brennan smiled also as she pressed her hand to the window. She'd told Booth she would call him when she landed, but the magazine she'd read had offered an interesting list of ways to 'keep a man on his toes', it had said. And the number one way to do that was to surprise him. She could imagine him sitting in his apartment, probably in a pair of sweatpants and one of those t shirts he always just seemed to have. She'd never once seen him buy clothes, but he almost always looked exactly right in every situation. She envied that.

Not that she didn't know how to dress for work or social occasions, it was just…a comfort level, she supposed. She'd once told him that every element was his element. He'd denied it, but…she wasn't convinced.

But as she considered her plans for the evening, she realized there was one _element _in which they shared great compatibility. And she certainly knew how to dress for that.

--b&b—

**7:00 PM**

"Yeah, Park-o" Booth rubbed his head as they entered his apartment, "It was a great shot. You totally faked out the goalie."

Parker smiled, but knocked Booth's hand away. "I'm hungry."

"Yeah, yeah" Booth grinned. "I'll get you something in a minute. But first…"

"—Booth?"

The feminine voice came from the direction of his bedroom, and Booth froze, "Um…hello?"

"I decided I wanted to surprise you" the achingly familiar husky tone was getting closer, and Booth looked in panic between his son and his bedroom door, frozen in place. "Hey, Booth."

He blinked as his partner appeared in his doorway, dressed in a short trench coat. "Uh…" his eyes widened, and just as her hands made to move toward the sash along her waist, he dove in her direction, tackling her inside the room, slamming the door closed with his foot.

"Bones! What the hell!" he whispered in a panic.

"Booth, ow!" Brennan rubbed her elbow from where it had hit the floor, hard. "Why did you do that?"

"Parker's out there!" he hissed. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Oh" Brennan's eyes grew wide. "I didn't know he was with you. Why didn't you tell me you were going to have him?"

"I didn't know!" he insisted. "Rebecca's mom went into the hospital today, I needed to take Parker. I thought you were going to…"

"Dad?" Parker knocked on Booth's bedroom, and Booth stood up suddenly, yanking his partner up in the process. It caused the coat to fall off her body, and Booth turned to see her standing there in a…

"Ahhhhhhhh…" he whimpered, "Hah!" his breath grew choppy as his eyes took in bare skin, and curves, and white satin, "Oh, _mama_"… and skin, oh so much skin, and legs…those legs that could just wrap around him till tomorrow, and…

"Dad?" the knob on his door started to turn, and Booth panicked, shoving Brennan into his bathroom. She yelped, but didn't push back, and then Booth turned and opened his bedroom door, casually leaning against it with one leg in front of the other, his hands resting in front of him. "Parker…everything okay?"

He should have known Parker wouldn't fall for that.

"Is Bones here?"

"Hmmmm?" Booth tilted his head to the side. "Who, Bones? Oh, um…yes, yeah she's here. She um…she…" he snapped his fingers, "Her washer and dryer broke, yeah, that's it. They broke, and so she didn't have any clean clothes. So, that's why she could only wear that coat, and…she came over here to do her laundry. Smart, right?" he nodded encouragingly, "Bones is a real genius, Parker. Honest to goodness."

Parker frowned and looked down. "Okay…does Bones need help?"

"Help?" Booth squeaked. "Um…no, no I don't think she does. She doesn't need help, DO YOU BONES?" he called, and could hear her pacing in his small bathroom.

"No. I do not need help" she answered and Booth forced a smile at the anger emanating from her voice.

He put his hands on Parker's shoulders and steered him into the direction of the living room. "How about you go turn on the TV, and Dad will be right in, okay? I've got a new TV and it's BIG!"

Parker did as he was told, and once he was around the corner, Booth slammed his bedroom door shut, "Bones…okay, the coast is clear."

She flung open the bathroom door, and shoved him aside, furious. "Why did you do, that, Booth?"

Her breath was heaving and her breasts were barely confined in the white satin demi bra. It was so low cut and so pale he almost couldn't tell where it ended and her skin began.  
"Booth?"

He met her eyes then, and flushed. "Hell, Bones…you look…"

He blinked and shook his head. "Please tell me you have something else you can put on."

"Why would I?" she answered rationally, "I didn't intend to sit with you in the living room, I fully intended to—"

"—stop right there, Bones" he interrupted her with a hand over her mouth. But her lips were full against his palm, and he'd missed her, he really had. Smoothing his hand over her cheek, he leaned down and kissed her throat, enjoying her hitched breath, and the way her fingers tightened on his bicep.

The sound of cartoons from the living room broke his concentration, and he pulled back with a groan, "You're killing me, Bones, you really are" he pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. Running his hands down to cup her hips, he pulled her against him once, then again, then a third time before stumbling back. "We've got to get you into some other clothes."

He waved his hand a bit and tried to concentrate. But she wasn't helping any. Standing there…breathing and all. And just being…

He opened his drawer and pulled out an old Army t-shirt he almost never wore. It was too small on him, and would still be too big on her, but still…it shouldn't be too terrible. "Here, put this on"

"You shouldn't have lied to Parker like that."

Booth huffed out a laugh and motioned in her direction, his eyes following from her hair to her pretty pink toenails. _Son of a bitch_! "What the hell was I supposed to say, Bones?" He waved his hand in the air, "Oh, Parker, hey, look. Here's Bones. Well, what do you know! She's here in naughty underwear to have her evil way with me!"

Brennan met his eyes, and smirked, and he growled, wanting to reach for her again, especially when she lifted her hands over her head to pull on his shirt.

"Holy shit, Bones…you're gonna be the death of me, you know that?"

Turning quickly and rummaging through another drawer, he pulled out a pair of mesh shorts and a pair of sweatpants, giving her the option to choose. She eyed them both disdainfully before choosing the pants, rolling up the hems to her knees and pulling the drawstring as tight as it would go.

"Satisfied?" she asked, an annoyed tinge to her voice.

Booth looked at her, imagining her bare skin, so soft and sweet, barely covered in underwear so skimpy he could probably pull it off her body like taffy with his teeth. His body clamored for another showing, wanting to rip off the clothes he'd just loaned her. The clothes he supposed now probably smelled like her. Damn it, he was jealous of _clothes_ now? He stiffened in response. Satisfied? "Hardly" he snorted, but then grabbed her by the elbow, "But come on…"

He pulled her into the living room, "Hey hey, Parker…look who's here! It's Bones!"

Parker looked at him and rolled his eyes. "I know Dad. I already knew she was here."

"Oh, right…right." Booth swallowed and rocked on his heels. He rubbed his hands together and opened his mouth to suggest something, anything.

"Do you need help with your laundry, Bones?" Parker asked. 'I'm good at folding socks."

"Actually, Parker…" Brennan took a step forward, "The truth is that--"

"That Bones came over to help us make supper!" Booth practically shouted and drug her into the kitchen. "Bones!"

His hands waved in front of his face. "Yoohoo…Bones! Hello! He's _six_."

"Relax Booth" Brennan batted his hands away. "I wasn't going to tell him about the…_intercourse_" she lowered her voice and Booth groaned,

"Can you not say intercourse with my son in the next room?"

"What do you want me to say, Booth? Sex—?"

The word was barely out, and he clamped his hand over her mouth. "Bones!" he hissed. "Could you just drop it! Look…I don't like lying either, you know that, but…for crying out loud, I'm not discussing…" he motioned between their lower bodies, "_that…_ with my son!"

All the talk of sex, when it felt like forever since he'd had her in his arms, and he groaned, leaning in to press his lips against hers. Soon her hips were pressed against his counter, and her hands shoved under his shirt to rub his stomach. "Booth…" she murmured. "Mmmmm….."

His control took a shot, and his hips slid forward into hers for a moment, before he pulled back, running a hand down his face. "Okay. Okay, we can do this. Let's just regroup. Start over." He took a step back and pulled in a deep breath. "Hello, Bones. I'm glad to see you. I missed you."

She stepped away from the counter and made her way to the table, sitting on one of the chairs. "Hello, Booth. It is good to see you as well."

The formal tone of her voice contradicted the way her tongue had just been wrapped around his, but for now, he didn't mind her cool voice.

"As you can see, I unexpectedly have Parker for the whole night." He continued, running a hand through his hair, "I, um…I know that sort of changes things, and so…"

"Don't worry about it, Booth. I can leave."

She stood up, and didn't quite meet his eyes.

"Hey, hey…wait a minute. I didn't say you need to leave."

Their eyes met, and he could see uncertaintly in hers, guessing it was probably reflected in his. "Look, Bones. I'm not going to lie and say this is easy, but…this is pretty much reality. As is. And I know neither one of us were planning on this tonight, but…Parker is my son, and if he needs me, then…"

Brennan placed a hand on her arm, "I know, Booth."

He sighed and looked at her hand. "I've never had a woman over when he's here before, Bones."

Brennan felt a small stirring of some emotion in her midsection. Relief? Pride? Uncertainty? She wasn't sure. "Are you…I mean, what do you want me to do?"

His eyes were confused, and she took pity on him. "It's okay, Booth. I understand. I really do. If you don't want me to stay, I'll go. I won't be mad."

Booth felt a war on the inside. "I don't want you to go, but…"

His weight shifted from one leg to the other, and his brow creased in thought. "I don't know, Bones. I mean…" he motioned between them, "You and me? I'm in this. I'm committed to it. You gotta believe me. You believe me, right, Bones?"

She nodded. "I believe you."

Booth took her hand in his and squeezed. "Good. Good, okay, Bones. Thank you. Good, I'm glad."

He spared a glance toward the living room where Parker was content watching TV, "I just…" he turned and met her eyes and shrugged.

"I'll do whatever you want me to do, Booth."

He pressed his tongue to his teeth. "Stay for dinner at least, and we'll see how it goes. Please?"

Brennan nodded, a bit uncertain herself. "Okay, yes. I'll stay."

--b&b—

Booth felt her assurance slide over him like a warm breeze. "Thanks, Bones" he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, the gesture full of affection. She flushed a bit and pulled away, and he smiled, turning to the fridge. "Want to help me make dinner?"

Brennan leaned against the counter. "Sure."

Booth grinned and tossed her a box of pasta, "Awesome."

They worked side by side for the next hour, preparing spaghetti and bread for the three of them, and Booth's heart grew about three sizes. They talked about her day, and she told him she had a good time in New York.

"It's nice there, very refreshing." She admitted as she tore lettuce for a salad.

"Not too busy? I would think it would make me crazy."

Brennan shrugged. "No, it's not too busy. And it's nice for me, because in New York, being famous is just being normal, so…I don't get bothered a lot."

Booth tilted his head to the side and considered. "I suppose that's true. Although, I hope you don't walk through Central Park with a copy of your novel in one hand and a skull in the other like the cover of your book." He teased.

She met his eyes and chuckled. "No, I don't do that."

"Good move, Bones" he clicked his tongue against his teeth, "Good move."

"Hey, Dad? Can I have something to drink?" Parker asked from the doorway.

"Sure, I'll get it for you" Brennan spoke up, and Booth turned from the stove to watch as his partner pulled a glass from the cupboard and poured Parker a glass of water. Parker took a deep drink and then handed the glass back to her before turning and walking back to the living room.

"Ah ah ah..." Booth called. "Parker, what do you say?"

He turned and smiled. "Oh, sorry. Thanks, Bones."

She smiled quickly, and then nodded seriously, "You're welcome, Parker. My pleasure."

Booth watched in fascination, and her eyes met his. She flushed gently, and he realized it really was her pleasure to help Parker. A whole new thread of feeling for her coursed through his body, and he had to look away.

Brennan paused, and bit her lip at the way Booth frowned and turned back to his work on the spaghetti sauce. While he'd insisted that Parker thank her for the water, he hadn't shown any other sign of approval for her interference. She only hoped she hadn't stepped in where she didn't belong.

--b&b—

Booth was quiet during dinner, and never really quite met her eyes again. Brennan concentrated on what Parker was saying about his school work.

"And at recess, Dad? I learned a new game."

"Oh yeah?" Booth asked and wiped his mouth with his napkin, "What's is called, bud?"

"It's called Truth or Dare."

Brennan's eyebrows rose, and Booth froze, his hand in midair between his mouth and the table. "Ah, interesting" he answered, his tone deceptive.

"What's that game about?" he asked Parker.

Parker shrugged. "It's just like it sounds. You ask someone 'truth or dare', and they have to either answer a question with the truth or do a dare."

"I see" Booth nodded and leaned forward. "What kinds of questions did people ask?"

"Hmmm…." Parker thought about it. "Okay, here's one. Bones…truth or dare."

"Um…" her eyes shot to Booth, and he blinked and met her eyes. "Truth."

"Okay" Parker nodded. "Bones…tell the truth now…have you ever eaten a _bug_?!?"

Booth let out a sigh, and Brennan hid a smile behind her napkin at his relief. "Why yes, Parker, I have eaten bugs before. Some of them are quite delicious."

His nose wrinked up, "Ew…Bones. Gross!"

Brennan paused, "Oh, well, they were a means of survival, and I…"

"It's awesome!" Parker continued, and Brennan blinked.

"Oh, I see."

Booth chuckled then, and she met his eyes, glad to see he was smiling.

"Okay,Dad, your turn."

"My turn for what, Park Squad?"

Parker rested his hands on the table. "To ask me or Bones for truth or dare!"

Booth narrowed his eyes and pretended to consider his options. He peered closely at Parker and then Brennan, and Parker laughed. Booth was also surprised to hear Bones laugh too. He was acting in his goofball dad mode, and he knew it, but…she seemed to like it, genuinely.

"Okay, Parker…truth…or _dare_!"

Parker tapped his chin and squinted one eye, and Brennan gasped. It was such a Booth expression, and she couldn't help but laugh.

Parker laughed too, "I say…dare."

"Oh ho!" Booth sat back in his seat. "Hmmm…well, Mr. Brave man…let's see…let us see here…"

He looked around the room. "What can I dare Parker to do?"

Parker squirmed and Brennan felt his excitement as well.

"Parker" Booth announced. "I dare you to try to stand on your head."

Parker's eyes widened. "Like you, dad?"

"Yep…like me."

Brennan looked at Booth, surprised. "You can stand on your head?"

He just winked at her. "You betcha."

Parker stood up from the table and made his way to the more open area. "Okay…what do I do, Dad?"

Booth nodded. "Okay, right…make your hands into a triangle with your head. Then kick back. I"ll catch your feet and balance you out…" he grabbed onto Parker's feet. "Now slowly push up on your hands…"

Brennan watched in fascination as Parker listened to his dad and did as he was told. A rush of some emotion she couldn't define washed over her. It was a combination of feeling impressed with Parker's ability and also that gnawing sensation she got whenever she thought too much about her childhood. It was something she was able to keep tamped down most days, but here, like this…

"How about it, Bones?" Booth was asking, and Brennan blinked.

"Very impressive, Parker…well done."

"Thanks Bones" Parker huffed and landed on his feet. His face was flushed but excited. "It's your turn, Bones. Ask Dad!"

Brennan turned toward Booth, and he met her eyes, his head tilted to the side. "Truth or Dare, Booth."

A moment of…something…arced between them, and Brennan's fingers fluttered at her side. She could see it reflected in the way Booth swallowed before answering. "Truth." He replied, and she nodded, and looked down.

Many questions sprang up in her mind, but nothing that was appropriate to discuss with Parker close by. "Okay, Booth…tell the truth now" she repeated Parker's instructions, and Booth smiled, reaching over to rub Parker's head. Parker swatted his hand away again, and then looked to Brennan. "Go ahead, Bones."

Brennan nodded. "Booth…what is the most disgusting thing you have ever eaten?"

--b&b—

9:45 PM

Brennan stood when Booth came back into the living room. "Is Parker asleep?"

Booth cupped the back of his neck and then sat down on the couch, motioning her to join him. "Yep, he's asleep. After I had to describe the disgustingness of the cafeteria disaster of 1986, for the 13th time, thank you so much, Bones."

She chuckled and sat down next to him, noticing that once again he seemed unsure. "Should I leave?"

Booth didn't answer, but just leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes. He held out his hand in her direction, and Brennan looked at it for a moment before twining her fingers in his. They sat there for a few quiet moments until Booth opened his eyes and looked at her.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

He opened his mouth, and even then wasn't sure what he was going to say.

She flushed and her fingers tightened around his momentarily and stood.

His eyes traveled over her from head to toe, and he closed his eyes again as he imagined her in his doorway, trench coat ready to drop to reveal secrets she'd planned only for him.

But the night hadn't gone like she'd planned, he realized, but she'd accepted it, and fit right in. She was making an effort, but also respecting what he wanted. "Stay the night" he whispered, and she flinched.

She stepped forward and rested her hands on his shoulders, leaning in to kiss him sweetly. Her hair fell around them like a curtain, and he let the tip of her tongue sweep between his lips, catching it softly with his before it darted back to her mouth. "Are you sure?" she pulled back.

He stood and ran his hands from her shoulders to her hands and twined his fingers with hers again. "I'm sure…"

Brennan bit her lower lip, and turned, leading the way to his bedroom. It was so much like the first night she'd seduced him, her leading him back there.

Once they reached his bedroom, she made her way to the bed and laid on it, resting against the pillows. He joined her, and they looked at one another. A slight smile crossed her face, and she tilted her head to the side. "Truth or dare, Booth."

--b&b—

He laughed and sank deeper onto his mattress…"Hmmm…okay…dare"

"Hmmm…" Brennan's brow rose in slight surprise, but Booth could tell he'd pleased and intrigued her. "Let's see then."

Booth felt a slight twinge of arousal combined with nerves as she considered. "Be gentle, Bones."

She laughed and rested her hand on his stomach. "I dare you to tell me something you've never told anyone else."

Booth chuckled and sat up, "That sounds like a 'truth', there, Bones."

"You said dare, Booth. I dare you to reveal a secret."

"Okay, okay" he nodded and thought about it. "Something I haven't told you? Or something I've never told anyone."

"Something you've never told anyone."

"Okay" he repeated, "Let me think."

Brennan watched him for a moment, as he closed his eyes and considered.

"When I was young, about Parker's age," he began, "Sometimes we would visit my grandpa, and my grandma. And my grandpa would always have a pipe, and peppermints." A smiled ghosted over his lips, and Brennan leaned closer to him, resting on her elbow beside him. "My grandma, Bones you would have loved her, she was so great. Anyways…" he cracked open one eye and then both and turned toward her, pulling up their hands between them, "Anyways, she always had pie. And…mmmm…" he sighed, "it was the best pie anyone could ever have. Even you would have liked it, Bones."

_Not likely_, she thought, but didn't say it out loud.

"And one day… " he continued, "We were there, and she'd made apple pie. My dad got mad and said he didn't want apple pie, he wanted peach" Booth paused as he remembered. "And that was the first time I ever saw my dad get really mad. Really, really mad."

His jaw worked and he swallowed before speaking again. "So he refused to eat it and he left the room. I was quiet then, and didn't say much, but I wanted her to know how I felt, so I told her that apple pie was my favorite."

He closed his eyes for a moment and brought Brennan's hand up to his face. "And she cupped my face, just like this, and leaned down to kiss me on the cheek, and she said 'I know', Bones."

Brennan watched his face in wonder as emotion crossed over it. She couldn't resist leaning over to press a kiss against his cheek before settling her lips against his. After a moment, he pulled back and pulled her whole body against him. "I don't know, Bones…but it was like, in that moment, I knew good and bad. I knew she'd made that pie for me, because I loved it. Because she loved me. But also, I'd never seen my dad like that before, and…since the apple pie was my favorite, and he didn't like it…"

"It was your fault" Brennan filled in the blank, and he nodded against her hair.

"Yeah," he sighed. "Dumb, right?"

Her fingers traced a pattern on his chest in countertime to his heartbeat. 'No, it's not dumb." She leaned up on her elbow and traced his chin with her hand "Thank you for telling me that."

He kissed her fingers, "You're welcome. Now I have a question for you."

"Okay."

"Why, when you first met me, did you say you were in the system until your grandfather got you out? What grandfather?"

Brennan flushed and pulled her hand away, but Booth was too quick for her, and he rolled over, pinning her lightly to the mattress.

Brennan pressed her hands to his shoulders, but didn't push it, and he stayed where he was.

"Even then, I could sort of tell the kind of man you were. I mean, we both know I'm not the best at reading people, but I guess I just didn't want you to think I was as totally alone as I was at that point in my life. I had a feeling you would push and barge into my personal life, and I didn't want you there."

Booth tucked his face into the curve of her neck and kissed her there, "And now?" he couldn't help but ask.

She pushed him then, and rolled him to his back, coming to land with her body on top of his. "And now I do want you."

Their lips met in a kiss borne of vulnerability and acceptance. They broke apart, and Booth smiled. "Thank you for telling me that."

His hands crept up her back under his tshirt, and paused along the band of her bra. "You damn near gave me a heart attack today, Bones."

"I wanted to surprise you…in a good way"

He chuckled and let his hands come forward to cup her satin covered breasts. "You did, you surprised me in a good way, a lot tonight, actually."

In the way she'd pitched in with dinner, and with Parker, and all of that…

"Booth…" she rolled off of him, and lifted the shirt over her head. He growled and tried to reach for her, but she just backed away, "Now you."

Booth rolled off of his bed and stood beside it, unbuttoning his shirt.

"Wait a minute" She sat up suddenly, and he paused. "Okay…what's going on, Bones?"

She smiled and sank onto the bed, letting her hands come up over her head. She looked so satisfied that Booth couldn't help but laugh. "What are you thinking, Bones?"

"Booth…I dare you…" she paused for effect, "To strip for me."

"Wha…what?" he flushed and pulled at the collar of his shirt. "Are you serious?"

"Of course, I'm serious. Please? I think it would be very sexy."

Booth pulled in a sharp breath through his nose. "Strip. For you."

"Yes, Booth" she waved her hand. "I don't see anyone else around here."

"There sure as hell better not be anyone else around" he grumbled as he ran his hand over his face.

"Take a step back, Booth, you can do it" she encouraged. "You know what to do."

He sighed and looked at her, a self conscious laugh escaping him. "You're crazy. You know that, right, Bones?"

"I'm not crazy" she leaned onto one side. "I'm quite intelligent, actually."

Booth narrowed his eyes, but then spread his feet apart slightly, "Okay…no laughing."

Brennan's eyes traveled over his body, and she smiled. "I don't think that will be a problem."

Booth shook his head and began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Slower" Brennan commanded, lying back against the pillow, letting her hand creep from her neck, down between her breasts.

"Jeez, Bones…" he rasped, mesmerized by her self touch.

"Now you're too slow, Booth" she teased, stopping her own hand motion.

He laughed and then began unbuttoning his shirt, slightly dramatically. He could feel a blush covering his face, but what the hell, he figured, it was just her. He could do this.

Once the shirt was unbuttoned, except for the last one, he grabbed it in the middle and ripped, letting the last button pop off and fly across the room.

Brennan's hips arched up in response, and Booth began to see the appeal of his actions. She wanted a striptease? He'd give her a striptease.

--b&b--

Brennan's whole body flushed as Booth turned around, letting his shirt fall down his back. His muscles bunched and pulled there, and she admired his quite fantastic body. Wide shoulders tapered down to a slim waist, and he turned over his shoulder to make sure she was still watching. Pulling his shirt off of his body one arm at a time, he turned, walking to the end of the bed.

Brennan settled onto her back, her hands at her sides, her legs slightly spread. She wasn't sure what Booth had planned, but she hoped it was more of what he'd already started here. He sat on the bed, with his back to her once again and reached down to pull off one sock, and then the other. With a teasing grin, he looked over his shoulder. "You knock my socks off, Bones"

She groaned and chuckled at his corny joke, but then he stood and turned around, stretching his arms above his head. He stood like that for a moment, reaching for the sky, and Brennan actually whimpered at the sight of his upper body in fluid motion. He was…_perfect_.

His hands came down and slid over his chest to his belly, and Brennan's hips arched off the bed, making a full circle before meeting the mattress again. Before he could stop her, she tugged on the waistband of his pants and pulled them down her hips.

Booth's breath became harsh, and he leaned his hands against the mattress as her long legs were revealed, the only thing between him and her a tiny scrap of pure white satin. "Bones…you're killing me…"

"Keep going" she encouraged, tossing the sweatpants to the side of the bed.

Booth stood up straight and let his hands smooth down his legs before coming back up to rest against his belt buckle. He unfastened it and let it fall to the ground, making no comment about it's symbol. But he didn't need a verbal assertion where it was concerned. He had all the evidence he needed to back it up, right there. He took the end of his belt and slowly pulled it through the loops of his pants, enjoying the sound of leather against denim room in the otherwise quiet room.

Brennan sat up, and then leaned forward onto her hands and knees. Booth let out a mottled curse at her position, the way she crawled toward him. She didn't touch him, but just got a much much much closer view of what she wanted.

He unbuttoned his pants and then unzipped them, reaching inside to release the hardness that had been increasing in size over the course of his striptease. He'd never known that actually doing the stripping could be so arousing. Of course, it could have something to do with the fact that Bones was reaching forward, her delicate fingertips coming oh so close….  
"Not so fast, Bones…I'm not done"

He took a step back, and she moaned, meeting his eyes.

He grinned then and chuckled, totally amazed at the way she'd been able to take him out of his nervousness into total participation. It made him want to really let her have it, show her that he could be fun and sexy.

He thrust his hips slightly in her direction and enjoyed the way her lips parted in anticipation. Letting his pants fall to the floor, he turned away from her again, bending at his waist to remove one pant leg, and then the other.

She didn't hide her gasp this time, and Booth felt her approval straight to his groin. Hell, if he didn't stop this soon, he'd be the one begging her!

Deciding to tease her just a bit more, he slid his thumbs into the black boxer briefs around his waist. He could hear the bedsprings creaking a bit, and didn't not even WANT to imagine what she was doing. so he tugged an inch at a time, letting her see his exposed backside. Once he had them pulled down to his thighs, he shoved them down his legs and stepped out of them.

His best charm smile in place, he turned on his heels to really wow her. But she wasn't on the bed. Instead, she was right in front of him, on her knees, and she moaned so loudly when she took his cock in her hands and mouth, he would have sworn she was the one being pleasured.

"Shit, Bones!"he hissed, his hand coming to land on her head for balance. "What?"

She pulled back, her eyes wide with innocence. "I couldn't wait."

He chuckled out a groan and knew she was telling the truth. She wasn't trying to be sexy now, she just wanted him that badly.

His hips rocked forward, and she sucked harder. "Yessss" she gasped. "Booth…"

He looked down, at his beautiful partner, and friend, and everything, and then bent down to pull her up to meet his eyes. "Truth, Bones…why won't you let me do that to you?"

--b&b—

Brennan blinked rapidly, and her hand fluttered to her side. "What?"

Booth didn't answer, but just sank to his knees, pressing his nose and mouth against her panties, finding them as damp and warm as he imagined.

Brennan gasped and stepped back, falling against the bed. "Booth!"

He stood and leaned over her, "That's what I mean…why, Bones?"

She turned her head to the side, and he sat next to her. She sat up, and met his eyes, her hair falling prettily over one shoulder. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes, Bones…of course I do. I mean…is it me? You don't want…?"

"No, I mean…yes, and no, sort of…" she paused, "I just…when I perform oral sex on you, it's more about making you feel good, and I enjoy that. I enjoy seeing you lose control, and I know that men like that kind of thing, even if there's no…love involved."

Booth considered her words. "You mean, it's sex."

"Yes, exactly" Brennan nodded, "but, in my opinion, having oral sex performed on me, is much more intimate, and there is a lot more pressure on me, to react a certain way?"

"Like what?" Booth whispered, skating his hand along her backbone.

Brennan cleared her throat and looked away. "I've just never been able to let a man really do that. And then I get nervous about not having the right reaction."

"Don't you trust me?" Booth asked, leaning back against the pillows on his headboard.

Brennan looked back at him. "To bring me to orgasm? I guess. You have shown you are quite adept at that."

"No, Bones" he smiled, "Although…you'd better believe it, baby"

Brennan rolled her eyes, but crawled up over his body.

"Bones" he tucked her hair behind her ears, "I mean, don't you trust me to let you have whatever reaction you have, and it's fine?"

Brennan had never thought of it that way. "I guess so…I do trust you." She turned and rested on her back, "Okay, Booth. You may pleasure me orally at this time,"

Booth chuckled and placed a hand on her stomach, leaning in to kiss the side of her arm.

"What's so funny?" she settled deeper into the mattress.

"You are, Bones. In a good way, a very good way."

He settled his body on top of hers, nudging her hips open with his until his penis was pressed against her currently aching core. His stomach muscles contracted against hers, and his chest pressed into hers as he leveraged most of his body weight between her legs and on his elbows. Leaning down to suck lightly at the base of her throat, he moaned. "I could do it, Bones. I could totally kiss you all over. I'd start right here, and then cover your whole body, until you really wanted it, until you begged me for it."

Brennan's hips shifted into his and her legs parted further. "Booth"

"Until the only thing in the entire world that will make you happy is the soft slide of my lips against you, the way my tongue will sneak out to touch you, my teeth against your skin, taking my time, making sure you really want it."

"Booth, I want…" she wanted _something_… "Please"

"But you aren't ready, and I'm okay with that. You can trust me, Bones. I mean it."

He turned her words against her even as he slid his hands over her hips, his thumbs sneaking under the hem of her panties. "You're so wet"

His breath caught, and so did hers, just hearing those words from her partner's voice. The man who didn't even want to say the word sex in public was currently rubbing his index fingers between her thighs. "You make me that way." She admitted, and he groaned, shifting the direction of his fingers between her legs. The new rotation had her arching off of the bed, and as he was sliding down toward her, he entered her, just an inch.

They both groaned, and he rolled them, over, pulling her down on top of him, even as he leaned forward to pull her underwear the rest of the way off of her body. She bit his shoulder, and he growled.

"Mother of mercy, Bones" he swore, his hands coming up to rip the bra from her breasts, the sound of fabric ripping.

"Booth!" she gasped and arched into him, her head falling back. "That was new."

"I'll buy you three more…" _so I can rip them right off of you_, he thought. "Look at me, Bones."

She paused and looked down, meeting his eyes.

He didn't have words, and just rolled her back down beneath him, sliding down her body. She moaned as he palmed her breasts, popping a stiff nipple into his mouth and sucking hard. It was almost scary how well he knew her body already, but then again…it wasn't really a surprised. She moaned again, this time louder.

He shifted and covered her mouth with his hand. "Shhh…you have to be quiet tonight ,Bones."'

She met his eyes and understood. Seeing her like that, her body bare to him, but her mouth covered, turned him on more than it should. He slid his thumb over her lips, a bit roughly, perhaps, but she just followed the movement, parting her lips to swipe at his thumb with her tongue, bringing her hand up to his to hold in place as she began liking and sucking the tip in earnest.

Booth matched her rhythm and torture by sliding his other thumb past her belly button to her slick heat, and for every swipe of her tongue, he'd make a pass at her already distended clit.

She moaned around his thumb before releasing it and taking his index finger and taking it all the way into her mouth.

He retaliated by letting his finger slide down to her opening and sinking it deep inside her.

"YESSSSSSS" they gasped in unison, symbiosis, whatever the hell it was, and then Booth pulled away from her.

She whimpered and tossed her head back. He took in the sight of her, waiting and willing and totally his. His Bones.

"I need you" he murmured and kneeled between her open, welcoming thighs. His hands stretched them open just a bit more, and he leaned down to kiss her belly, enjoying the way her hips moved toward him and not away from him. He kept her open like that, and slid forward, his stomach muscles soaking her wetness as he kissed his way up her body to her mouth. There he took possession, kissing her even as his hips unerringly found position, and he shifted once, twice, and…in.

"I need you too" she encouraged, and it made him feel like freaking king of the mountain. He wanted to pound on his chest and do the caveman yell and at the same time, never let her out in public again.

"You feel like a dream, amazing, gorgeous" he panted in her ear, keeping his hips locked to hers, the movements short but already deep, so, so deep.

He reared back to his knees and began to thrust with more force. Her legs came up of their own will and settled on his shoulders, the weight a welcome pressure as he pounded into her.

She could feel her passage start to cramp, and she gasped, "Yes, more. Deeper, faster, all of it, Booth…please."

He gave her what she wanted and leaned down just a bit to make sure his every thrust was hitting her where she needed it. And it did the trick, her orgasm flowering throughout her whole body.

_Daisy, Daffodil, Jupiter_, and now… "_Bones_…" he growled and crested inside of her, his face a mask of concentration in pleasure as he continued to move.

She didn't wait for him to collapse onto her, but this time, sat up and crushed her mouth to his, their arms tangling as they fell back to the mattress.

Their lips parted and their breath eased. Brennan shuddered as a small flicker of pleasure slide through her body, and she squeezed his shoulder and gasped.

Booth patted her hand and pulled in huge gulps of air, every once in awhile, her name sliding out with the carbon dioxide.

But for a teeny moment, he tensed, and if Brennan hadn't been tucked up against his chest, she never would have known it.

"What is it, Booth?' she asked, trying to get into a position where she could see his face.

Despite his dramatic release, his forehead creased in thought, and Brennan frowned. It was the same look he'd had in his living room, after Parker had gone to bed. "Booth. Tell me what's wrong."

He sighed and turned to his side, facing her. "Bones…here's the thing…" his eyes met hers, pleading, "I thought I could handle this. But today, with Parker…it made me realize that I can't mess around. And I know I said I just wanted a week to prove it to you, and I don't want to put pressure on you, but…I gotta know. Because I can't do casual. Not with you, not anymore. I know this is the worst time, but…Parker's my son, and…"

She stopped him with a finger over his lips. "I get it Booth."

He wanted to know if she was in this, really in this. As in, telling people, and all of that. And while they'd said this was reality, they both knew they were hiding.

"I promise to think about it, and I will let you know my answer on Saturday."

Booth nodded and pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head. "I love you Bones."

She kissed his chest and let her arm wrap around him. "I know…"

--b&b--

Thanks to "Mrs. Mercury" for the loan of the Army Tshirt.

See you soon!


	6. Day Six: Friday

**Hello 'Reality' friends.**

**I am sorry for the inexcusable delay in "Friday's" chapter. I really appreciate everyone hanging in there and not kicking me to the curb.**

**Quick note: I have two bits of good news and one bit of bad news (well, depending on how you feel about me and this story, that is). I will sandwich the bad between the good.**

_**Good news**_**: I am feeling better. Thank you to everyone for the kind wishes. I'm not 100% back to myself, but I am feeling better. **

_**Bad news**_**: There will be no "Big Os" in this chapter (but I don't plan to make you wait 24 hours for the next one).**

_**Good News**_**: To make it up to you, I have decided to continue this series for another week. This story will end at the completion of the next chapter, and I will soon begin work on "Reality Week: Booth and Brennan Edition, Part Two".**

--b&b--

**Friday**

**4:17 AM**

Booth felt something poking into the back of his knee, and he shifted, trying to avoid it. But then he realized he was cold. Cracking open one eye, he turned to the side and saw his partner, not quite delicately snoring. Ha, that was kind of funny. Bones was kind of cute when she wasn't perfect. Although, he'd never tell her that. Telling Bones she looked cute was not a good move, he guessed. He grabbed the covers from her and pulled them over himself. She snuffled a bit, but didn't wake up. Hiding a smile, and then realizing he didn't need to, Booth scooted over to her and pulled her close to him by the waist, sliding the covers over them both.

For a moment, he just stared at her, resisting the urge to brush her hair back from her face. It was a rare moment when he could study her, and now that he was awake, he knew he wouldn't be going back to sleep.

The night before had thrown him for a major loop, but in the end, he'd been pleased with the way it had turned out. Parker was mostly oblivious to it all, and he'd acted as if it was perfectly natural that she'd been there. So either Parker had no hang ups about him being with Bones, or there had been no noticeable change to him. This meant they were either playing it cool, or they hadn't been as secretive as they thought.

Or maybe secretive wasn't the best word. It wasn't as if they'd been having sex for years. But they had been…together.

Feeling confused, and realizing it was too early for too much philosophy, Booth let his hand slide to her hip, enjoying the feel of her cool skin against his palm. It just _fit_ there. And she fit, in his life, in his arms, and he realized last night had ended up about her fitting into his life.

And so far, this week, he'd not really made an attempt to fit into her life.

He rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. _You think you can fit there, Seeley?_, a voice spoke in his mind, and he clenched his fists in the sheets below him. _You're a fool if you think she will ever love you. If you think she will ever really want you. You think telling her about your childhood was a good move? Not likely. Because she's just going to want to know more. More about your past. And yeah, there are some things that you couldn't help, but you know there's a lot in there you don't want her to know. So the real question is, soldier…are you even worth her trouble?_

"Shut up!" Booth hissed in the darkness, and felt a stirring beside him.

"Booth?" Brennan frowned and whispered, reaching out with a hand toward him. "What's wrong?"

He turned to his side and stared at her. She looked like a goddess, her pale skin illuminated against his navy sheets, the moonlight through the split in his curtains shining down on her.

And it just made him feel darker, more unworthy of her.

She rose up on her arms, and leaned toward him. The bright blue of her eyes shone with sleep and confusion and his chest began to ache at her beauty. Her slim neck and pale chest, the way her shoulders were lightly freckled, and the way her breasts hung perfectly over her ribs. She was saying something to him, but he couldn't focus on her words as the contrast between her light and his dark thoughts severed all thought.

But he blinked, and then her words penetrated through to his ears.

"Maybe I should go…"

--b&b--

Brennan could see that his face was set in a frown, and she guessed he was just feeling unsure, like he'd said the night before. Wanting to ease his confusion, she offered to leave. "I don't want it to be awkward when Parker wakes up," she added. "So I'll just go back to my apartment now, and get ready for work. I'll go in early, and then maybe I'll see you later?"

Booth's mind rushed with thoughts, and he nodded. "Okay, sure…"

He watched from his pillow as she rolled away from him. The moonlight seemed to follow her as she walked around his bed, pulling on the clothes he'd loaned her the night before, and he closed his eyes when she gently laid her destroyed bra on the end of his bed.

_Nice…that's just what she wants. Very classy, ripping her new, expensive underwear. Smooth, Seel._

He didn't open his eyes again until he heard the soft click of his bedroom door close. The everyday sound caused a tightening in his chest so severe he pressed both hands to his body and sat up, trying to breathe. Reaching down and picking up the now destroyed satin, he pulled it up to his face, inhaling a deep breath. It smelled of her skin, that lavender and fresh scent he recognized from the other morning when she'd showered. And it also smelled faintly of his detergent, from being up against his t-shirt for a few hours. The combination forced him to his back and he brought his hand to his chest, letting the satin lay against his bare shoulder, wondering how something so beautiful could be destroyed so quickly.

_Easily asshole…you. You're the one who ruined it. Just like everything._

Booth groaned and lifted his hands to his face, pressing his palms against his eyes.

_No, no, no…hold on a minute. You can do this_, a different voice emerged from his mind. _You've taken something destroyed and turned it into good before, and you can do it again_.

Booth felt a stirring of hope, and he stared up at the ceiling, looking for answers, wondering if he even understood the question.

_Can you show her you have what it takes?_

Could he? Booth wondered, knowing that for their four years as partners, he'd distanced himself away from her fame, her academic life, from that whole world that usually made him itch. Instead, he'd pulled her into his world. A diner and football, and late night take out and t-shirts and….

Rolling onto his stomach, he pressed his face to his pillow, trying to figure out how he could show her he could belong with her. In her world. It should be easy. He'd pursued women before, and Bones was a woman. He could do this.

He could.

--b&b--

**11:30 AM**

"Well done, students" Brennan smiled slightly and nodded in approval, "You may leave now."

Angela smiled as Brennan turned away and walked to her office. Classic Brennan to dismiss someone and then leave first. She followed her friend, and paused as Brennan opened her office door. Angela watched as Brennan ran a hand along her lower back and hips before walking into her office.

_Hmmmmmmmm…….._

"So…" Angela sidled into Brennan's office. "How are things going these days, Bren?"

Brennan looked up from her desk and tilted her head to the side. "Things are going well."

"Good, good…" Angela placed her hands on her hips, "Man, my hips are kind of sore. I tried a new pilates workout, and it seems to be working, because I'm _really_ feeling it."

"Um…" Brennan's hand fluttered up to her neck for a moment, and then went back to the desk, shuffling through papers there. "Fascinating…"

Bingo…

"If only I was sore from something really good, like a hot man in my bed, but…I guess I'm just not that lucky."

Angela waited for Brennan to respond, but of course she didn't and just turned to her computer.

"Bren--"

"Excuse me, Dr. Brennan?" a voice spoke up from the doorway.

"Yes?" Brennan and Angela both turned toward the sound.

"These are for you" the security guard entered, carrying a huge bouquet of red roses.

Angela's eyebrows rose, and she turned toward her friend. "Whoa! Brennan…yowza!"

Brennan chuckled and made room on the side of her desk for the vase.

"Is there a card?" Angela leaned closer, pulling in a deep breath. "Who could they be from?"

Brennan didn't answer, and just pulled out the small card from its holder. Angela leaned over her shoulder and laughed when Brennan swatted her away.

"They're from Booth" she read matter of factly. "That's all."

"That's _ALL_?" Angela repeated, and she fingered the petals. "Let me guess, a partner thing?"

Brennan chuckled. "I guess so…look"

She handed Angela the card, and she read it out loud.

"Bones" Angela began, "Thanks for being such a great partner."

Angela frowned and missed the flash of uncertainty in Brennan's expression. "Hmmm…well, okay, then. I've never seen Booth as the type to say things with flowers. And if he did, I never expected him to be so cliché, but…you know, whatevs, right. Still, they are gorgeous, and--"

"We're sleeping together" Brennan blurted and then covered her mouth, and Angela froze, her hand in midair.

Their eyes met, and Angela's eyebrows rose.

"You?"

"Yes" Brennan whispered.

"And Booth" Angela stated.

"Yes" Brennan nodded, a slightly amazed smile crossing her face at her admission.

"Seeley Booth?" Angela clarified. "Just so we're clear here."

"Angela, yes…of course. What other 'Booth' is there?"

"Um…well…" Angela winced, and Brennan conceded this with a tilt of her head.

"Okay, yes, Angela. _Seeley_ Booth" Brennan bit her bottom lip, and her eyes grew bright. "Booth."

Angela folded her hands and brought them under her chin, a near silent squeal rising up from her throat. "Ah!"

"I know" Brennan admitted.

"I mean…AH!" Angela clapped her hands quickly. "Eeeeeeeee!!!!!"

"I know, Ange" Brennan chuckled. "It's…"

"Oh, don't stop there" Angela begged. "It's what? Perfect, beyond good, the best sex you've ever had? It is, isn't it? Oh, I just know it is. How can it not be? AND this explains why you are walking kind of funny! AH! I mean, seriously…it's, I mean…there is just NO WAY it's not the best, right? Oh please tell me it is!! EEEEEEE!!!!!" She clapped her hands again excitedly and looked to Brennan for confirmation.

Brennan just laughed and turned back to her desk.

"Oh,no" Angela followed her, "You can't leave me hanging like that. Just…tell me, how is it?"

Brennan leaned back in her office chair and smirked. "Better."

"_I knew it_"

Brennan laughed at the way Angela sighed and pretended to faint against her desk. "Ange…"

Angela laughed and leaned over, pulling Brennan into a fierce hug, "I'm so happy for you. Please tell me this isn't just a one night thing, and it's over, right?"

Brennan shook her head, "No…almost two weeks."

"Yes!" Angela nearly skipped over to the couch and flopped against it. "Now…details."

"I don't think so" Brennan turned to her computer with a mischievous grin.

"Oh, come on!" Angela whined. "I'm desperate. You KNOW I'm desperate. And, as your best friend…"

"Oh, so now you're my best friend, again?" Brennan teased and began typing an email to thank Booth for the flowers.

Angela sighed. "Okay, okay…how about this? I won't be mad at you for keeping this from me for two weeks."

"—_Almost _two weeks" Brennan corrected, and Angela rolled her eyes at her exactness.

"Fine, fine. I won't be mad at you for keeping this from me for _almost_ two weeks, if you just give me one teeny detail. Pleeeeeeeeeeese?"

Brennan looked down to her hands and smiled. A small possessive streak coursed through her, and she remembered the conversation she'd overheard between Cam and Angela about Booth's prowess in bed. Tilting her head to the side, she met Angela's eyes. "Sometimes, Booth loses control."

Angela smiled widely and closed her eyes, leaning back against the couch. "You bet your ass he does."

--b&b--

**4:15 PM**

Booth sank into his office chair and wiped his hand over his face. With a groan, he turned on his computer and leaned forward to open up his email.

"Spam, spam, spam…jeez, you'd think the Federal Bureau of Investigation could do a better job of blocking crappy emails" he groused as he scanned the list. "Spam, Spam…Sweets" he grinned and felt a jab of delight when he moved it straight to the delete file. "Trash…Cullen, save that for later, Spam…Bones."

He smiled and opened her email, it's header a mere, 'hello'.

"Dear Booth" he read out loud, loosening his tie for just a moment. "Thank you for the flowers. They are quite lovely."

That was all she said, and Booth tilted his head to the side. It wasn't much, but then again, this was the company pipeline, so it wasn't like she was going to declare her undying love and devotion to him in writing. At least, he didn't think she would.

He sighed, and then hit the reply button.

"Bones" he began, and tapped his fingers lightly over the keys, considering what he wanted to say next, "I'm taking you out tonight. Somewhere special. So…wear something nice."

He paused, and frowned, then continued with his message and then hit send.

He really hoped this would work.

--b&b—

Brennan blinked as the sound of a new email in her queue broke her concentration from the article she was typing. She clicked on the link, and smiled as she saw it was from Booth. She quickly scanned it, "Wear something nice."

Hmmm…She looked at the clock. She should probably get ready to change.

Reading the rest of his email, she smiled to herself.

"Not that you don't always look nice, Bones. But this place? It's _nice_. Pick you up at 7:30."

It was such a Booth thing to say, and she could just imagine his chest puffing out a bit, his hand smoothing down his tie as he described it. Maybe he was taking her back to Tony and Maureen's. Or somewhere else he would really love. Brennan felt a warm flush along her neck and then looked at the clock again. Saving and closing her word document, she quickly gathered her things and left the lab.

--b&b—

**7:29 PM**

Booth cleared his throat and knocked on Brennan's apartment door.

He could hear her walk to the door, and then it opened, and then…

"Hello, Booth."

Love at first sight had nothing on love at 1,534th sight. Not when she was dressed up like this, for him. Because he'd asked her to.

Was the dress new? He'd never seen it before, and he'd have to kill any other man she'd worn it for. The color could only be described as…_night_. The darkest of blues, it was almost black, and yet when she moved just a step closer, he could swear it was purple. The hem reached to just above her knee, long enough to be classy, but short enough to make his thoughts anything but.

Brennan felt pleased by Booth's stunned expression. It gave her time to compose herself at the sight of him. Booth in a tuxedo could be classified as a weapon, and tonight, he seemed extra put together. His hair was combed perfectly, just as she preferred it. His face was clean and stubble free from a fresh shave, his skin so smooth looking she was almost afraid to touch it.

His shirt, black bowtie and jacket fit to perfection, and she let her eyes run down to his feet in time to see Booth rock back on his heels, once, and Brennan was surprised to see that his socks were black. Her eyes moved back up his body and paused on his straight black belt buckle. He looked…almost too perfect.

"Hello, Temperance" his voice was husky, and she blinked at his use of her first name.

But when she looked up, he was smiling and his arm was outstretched to her. She smiled slightly and took it.

Maybe it was the time of day, or the low classical music on the radio, but Brennan found the ride to their destination almost eerily quiet. It was nice, and relaxing, and like just about any other date she'd been on.

"Okay, we're here" Booth pulled into a parking lot, and Brennan looked out the window with shock. "The National Gallery of Art?" She turned back to Booth. "You hate art museums."

Booth cleared his throat and rotated his shoulders. "Well, you don't, so…"

He gave what looked like a forced smile, and then opened his door.

Brennan paused, unsure. Yes, she enjoyed art. But she knew that Booth didn't particularly care about it. _No matter, Temperance_, she chided herself, _Booth is doing this for you. Show him you enjoy it!_

Pasting on a smile, she opened her door and got out, accepting his arm again. They walked inside, and Booth motioned with his hand toward the list of exhibitions. Brennan scanned the list and could not find one she thought Booth might enjoy. Biting her lip, she finally chose the Renaissance sculpture installment, and tucked her head to her chest as she led the way toward the artwork.

Booth swallowed and followed her inside the room, already feeling his skin itch from the all white walls combined with rows of dead lifeless sculptures. Sure, he could certainly admire that a lot of work went into them, and these sure as hell seemed a lot more artistic than some guy tossing paint onto a canvas and calling it art, but, his only goal for the night was to show his partner that he was a classy guy. He could hold his own in her world and wouldn't embarrass her.

Brennan stood and looked at the sculptures, her interest piqued somewhat. She admired the strong lines and perfect symmetry. She'd always been stunned at how one block of stone could be worked to form lifelike figures. She always wanted to reach out and touch the faces, to see if they would blink or react. Of course, they never did, and she never really expected them to.

Booth's cell phone vibrated, and she turned and met his eyes.

He smiled and motioned toward the door. "We should go; we don't want to be late."

Brennan let him lead her away, but instead of leaving the gallery, he just took them deeper through it before reaching a private gallery room. The room was dark and rows of chairs were set up in lines before a movie screen.

Brennan looked at the sign near the door.

_Léon Morin, Priest_

"This is a French film, Booth" she paused, and he pressed his hand to her back, smiling.

"Yes, Bones…I heard you talking with Angela about it, and I thought you would enjoy it."

Brennan felt a tug in her heart. He'd heard her talk about it, and so he'd brought her to it?

"There are subtitles, though" she clarified. "No English at all, Booth."

"I know Bones" he pressed his tongue to the inside of his cheek and motioned with his head toward the seats. "Let's sit, okay?"

Brennan followed his lead and sat in one of the chairs. She spared a glance toward Booth, and he met her eyes, smiling slightly. He looked away quickly, and Brennan couldn't help look at him for a moment longer. She felt confused to say the least. But then the movie was starting, and she turned toward the screen.

But just as it began, she leaned over to him, "This was very thoughtful, Booth. Thank you very much."

Booth clenched and unclenched his hands at his side. "You're welcome, Bones. My pleasure."

His throat closed around the lie, and he could feel his eye start to twitch a bit. Closing his eyes for a moment and counting to ten, he pulled in a deep breath. His only mantra was don't sleep, don't sleep, don't sleep.

It was bad enough he could tell she knew he didn't really want to be here. He didn't want to embarrass her further by falling asleep during the movie.

And so for the next two hours, he stared at the screen and recited baseball stats. He silently thought about his favorite lines from the Godfather. Anything to stay focused on his mission. Making sure Bones had a perfect evening.

--b&b--

Brennan could feel how tense was beside her, but she didn't want to make him conscious about it, so she just stared at the screen, and after awhile she became engrossed in the storyline.

When the lights rose, she smiled and turned toward him.

He stood and swallowed, "Not bad" he smiled. "And the subtitles were a nice help."

Another patron behind them snickered, "Only an amateur reads the subtitles" she murmured and Booth tensed. Brennan could see the way his shoulders rolled back. But he just smiled and placed his hand on her elbow, "Should we leave? We have reservations for dinner."

"Yes" Brennan concurred. "Let's leave."

But once again, even in the SUV, their conversation was stunted. At best.

Brennan felt as if somehow it was her fault, but she didn't know how to fix it. "Where are we having dinner? Wong Foos?" she asked.

"Please" Booth scoffed and looked out the window. "On your special night? I think I can do better than that."

"Oh…" Brennan pressed her hand to the window and gasped as they reached their destination. "Citronelle?"

Booth smiled and nodded. "Fancy, right?"

"Very" Brennan whispered, and watched as he got out of his side of the SUV. She followed suit on her own side, and walked beside him to the entrance. "Have you been here before?"

Booth tugged at his tie for a moment, and shook his head. "No. you?"

"Yes, I have been here. Booth…I don't know if…"

"It's going to be great, Bones" he opened the door and nodded toward the maître d'.

The man recognized Booth from earlier in the day and nodded, leading the way to the table.

Booth smiled slightly as Brennan was seated, and then he picked up the menu. Frowning a bit, he looked to her, "What are you going to have, Bones?"

She met his eyes. "Booth…" she whispered and leaned closer to him. "This place is cuisine. It's not…"

"Food?"

She chuckled, and for a moment, everything seemed okay.

But then he motioned for the sommelier to come over. "What do you recommend?" he asked.

Brennan bit back a wince, and the sommelier's eyebrow's rose.

"Well, sir, _of course_, that depends on what you'll be eating."

"Right, right" Booth nodded, and leaned forward. "Bones, do you know what you want?"

She smiled toward the sommelier, "He'll have the short ribs, and I'll have the green asparagus vichyssoise and cheese ravioli."

"Very well, then may I recommend the PRIORAT, "Odysseus", Vinedos de Ithaca"

"Sounds great" Booth nodded and smiled.

"Booth" Brennan hissed when they were alone, "You hate white wine."

Booth rubbed his ear lobe once, and then looked away. "It's not so bad."

Their eyes met, and he could tell she was confused. "I just want tonight to be perfect, Bones."

His eyes held vulnerability, and Brennan didn't want to crush that. "Thank you."

Booth felt her acceptance like a blow. It was what she wanted.

--b&b--

After their minimal at best dinner, they left quickly, and Booth drove back to her apartment. Anxious to be home, Brennan hoped Booth would come inside, and she planned to invite him to spend the night with her. She wanted to tell him that she'd told Angela about them, and she wanted to show him the roses he'd bought her.

Booth parked the SUV, and got out, following Brennan up to her apartment. Once they were there, she unlocked the door and entered, pausing when she realized he hadn't followed her.

"Booth?" she turned, and his whole body ached at her beauty. She was the most amazing woman he'd ever known, and from the first moment he'd seen her, all those years ago, he'd known instinctively that he'd never measure up. Tonight had been a perfect example of why he should have listened to himself way back then.

"Did you have a nice time tonight?" he asked, his hands sliding into his pockets.

Brennan felt unsure. For some reason, any answer she might give felt like it would be the wrong one. She knew Booth had put a lot of thought into this night for her, but he'd been so miserable and tried to hide it. She didn't want to sound ungrateful.

"It was perfect" she admitted, and all of a sudden knew that perfect wasn't good enough. Not any longer. It was the difference between his hand on her arm and his hand entwined with hers. The difference between a perfectly prepared meal and shared milkshakes at the diner. The difference between Booth in a tuxedo and Booth in nothing but a fresh pair of boxers and a clean shave. "Booth…tonight was perfect, but…"

Booth smiled, and chuckled, but they were both humorless, and Brennan felt a clench in her stomach.

"I know, right, Bones?" his jaw worked, and he looked to the side for a moment. "And I should have known."

Booth leaned in and kissed her against the cheek. "You deserve all of this, but…I'm just not good enough" he whispered as he pulled back. "I wanted to prove to you that I could live in your world, and not embarrass you, but, hell" his hand slashed through the air in frustration, "I couldn't even choose the right wine, apparently."

"Booth…" she whispered, stunned.

"Nah, Bones. Don't worry about it. I mean, we gave it a shot, right? And you, I mean…" his eyes traveled over her. "You look _amazing_. You ARE amazing. You totally fit in there. I'm glad you had a great time."

Brennan's throat closed up. She wanted to say she hadn't had a great time. That any time he was miserable she could never have a good time. But she could only stare at him as he cupped the back of his neck and looked at the floor.

"But I don't fit in there, Bones. In that world. In _your_ world. I'm not good enough, and I think tonight was a perfect example of what we've both always known. You deserve someone who…who can be what you need there. I think I was fooling myself into thinking I could do it. Kind of like the undercover work you love so much." He chuckled painfully, "So…I…" he choked back a breath when she stepped forward and cupped his face.

Brennan's heart expanded. Here was a real sculpture of beauty. A _real person_, a real _man_, something a Renaissance artist couldn't help but want to capture. She had no words to express the difference between his warm skin and the cool clay. All of a sudden, he blinked and stepped away from her, and Brennan watched as he forced a smile and took another step back.

It felt like a mile, for both of them, and it was as if she'd already closed her door, the separation between them so concrete.

"So…I'll see you, Bones."

Brennan's jaw worked as she watched Booth turn and walk away from her. His tall frame was sure and strong and going in the opposite direction.

And then he was gone.

And after another minute, she turned and closed her door.

Leaning down to peel off the shoes that had been pinching her toes all night, she realized she was crying.

--b&b--

Booth sat in her driveway for almost an hour. He rested his forehead against the steering wheel as all of his insecurities came back to haunt him. His hands itched and his throat felt tight and he wanted nothing more than to go back up and knock on her door, begging him to let him, to keep him in, where no one else knew about them. Safe in their own world.

"_Reality_" he scoffed, pressing his head back against the headrest. "Dream on…"

As he put the SUV in reverse, his thoughts mirrored his actions. He would just go back to how it was. Just partners. Just close enough to make sure she was okay. And eventually, he'd forget about how she had perfume in her bathroom because it reminded her of her mother. And he'd forget about how she'd laughed when Parker had made a funny face.

Almost on autopilot, he arrived home and kept the lights off, pulling his clothes off quickly before falling into bed. His face rubbed against something silky, and he knew without looking that it was her discarded bra from the night before.

He tossed it away from him, and pressed his face to his pillow, willing himself to sleep. He cursed the way his throat closed and his eyes watered. Pulling the pillow over his head, he tried to forget everything. And if he tried hard enough, he knew eventually he'd be able to do it.

Eventually he'd forget the way she felt in his arms, about the way she ran her hands over his shoulders after a particularly strong orgasm, the way her skin felt so cool against his, even when they were both overheated. Hers always seemed a few degrees cooler, the perfect temperature to soothe him. He'd eventually forget about the way she'd touched him, turned his world upside down, and he'd forget about the way he felt when she laughed at something he said. He'd forget about the way she seemed to lean into him when she was nervous about something, or if she thought he might be nervous about something. He'd eventually forget about how she was the only other person in the fucking _world_ who understood him.

He spent the rest of the night going over all of the things about her he'd have to forget. And he would forget them. Eventually.

Everything happens eventually.

--b&b--

_Thank you all for the continuous comments. I am very honored that you take the time to review. I laughed when I saw the comment about people talking about this story on Twitter. Haha. I feel so cool! I am like Ashton Kutcher or something._


	7. Day Seven: Saturday

**Haha, see now…I've got you all figured out! You LOVE angst, you goofs! And here **_**I've**_** been trying to keep this story lighthearted. I mean, who needs more pain in the world, right? Isn't that what BONES is all about? Getting away from life for awhile? But NOOOOO, the ONE chapter I post with a sad ending is everyone's fave.**

**Figures.**

**Well, little known fact about me. I hate B+B fighting. When they are fighting, I have been known to feel physically ill. And when they are fighting because of something I WROTE? Haha, I can't type fast enough to 'fix' it. **

**So, here you have it, you angst bunnies. Sorry to burst your angst love bubble. Don't mind me; I'm just trying to make Booth and Brennan happy is all. **

**(If it makes you feel better, I cried when I wrote "Friday's" chapter. Oh, poor Booth! Oh, poor Brennan! Oh, poor ME! **¡**Pobrecitos**!)

**haha**

--b&b—

Saturday

11 AM:

Brennan reached for her glue as she continued working on a skull reconstruction. She'd been at the lab for over four hours, unable to sleep in. Especially when there was so much work to be done. She was in such deep concentration that she didn't realize her cell phone was ringing until it went straight to voicemail. It buzzed near her thigh, and she jumped a bit, startled by the sensation.

Pulling off her gloves, she reached into her pocket and noticed three missed calls from Karen, her agent. Quickly dialing into her voicemail, she listened.

"Dr. Brennan. Call me immediately" Karen gushed. "I have FANTASTIC news."

Curious, Brennan dialed the number in her contacts list.

"Hello?"

"Karen, hi, it's Dr. Brennan."

"Ah!" Karen squealed. "Can you come to the office immediately? Something VERY exciting is happening."

Brennan looked around her. "Okay, I suppose I can do that."

"Oh, you know what? Don't bother" Karen continued. "I'll just tell you over the phone! Very good news…your publisher has been asked to market your books internationally. This means they are going to be translated into other languages."

"And…that's…good?" Brennan clarified.

"Good? It's like…the freaking Bible or something! Temperance…can I call you Temperance? It's…it's almost unheard of. Sometimes, they might translate a book into one language, if it's really popular, but they are talking four languages. French, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese. It's…it's really quite amazing. If you want, I'll take you out to lunch to celebrate. But you probably have someone else you'd rather celebrate with. So don't mind me, I'll just be putting together the paperwork, darling! Ta!"

Brennan chuckled as she closed her phone. She looked around the lab and saw that it was empty. She did want to share her good news with someone. But as she walked around the lab table, she realized there was really only one person she wanted to share it with. But she didn't know if he wanted to hear it.

--b&b--

10 PM

Booth set his empty beer bottle on the coffee table and looked at the room around him. It was still a mess from the night Parker had been there, and from the day before. He'd woken up that morning and crawled out to the living room, where he'd collapsed on the couch all day. He'd meant to turn on the TV, but since that was from Bones, it just made his heart hurt. He just needed one day to be miserable, and then he'd be fine. He'd go see her tomorrow, invite her to the diner and smile at her, eat pie, and everything would be just fine.

He was so lost in thought that he almost didn't hear the slight click of his door. His body went on alert, but as soon as the door opened, he knew who it was.

But it was too soon, and he just couldn't deal with rationalizations tonight. Not just yet. But he sat up at least and faced the TV, but he couldn't quite make himself turn around.

Brennan's eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room. There were no lights on, and the only way she could see Booth was from the white t-shirt he had on. It was tight against his biceps, and he was leaning forward, his elbows resting at against his thighs.

She leaned against the open doorway between his kitchen and living room, a spot she'd stood in a few times before. She wasn't sure what she was going to say, and when she opened her mouth, what came out surprised both of them.

"When I was 19, I had to give my first lecture in college" her husky voice slid through the darkness of the room, "I made notecards, and prepared a speech. And when it was time to give it, I stood up, and walked to the podium. But halfway there, I tripped and fell down, and all of my notecards scattered on the floor."

Booth didn't say anything; he just leaned forward and put his face in his hands.

Brennan continued from her spot in the doorway. "People were laughing, and no one tried to help me. I even looked back at my professors, and they were smirking. I was only _19_." She paused and her voice cracked. "But already it seemed like everyone I knew resented me for my intelligence. In high school I knew people didn't like me because of how smart I was, but I thought that in college, people would admire how smart I was. Or at least not make me feel like an outcast because of it."

She was wringing her hands slightly, but still made no move to enter the room. "But throughout the whole speech, the students just laughed the whole time. No one was listening. And that night, I went back to my dorm, and I was alone. I didn't have any friends, I didn't have any family. I didn't have anyone to talk to."

Booth swallowed, and could feel his jaw working, but still, he couldn't make himself turn and face her.

"So, I read more. And I got smarter" Brennan confessed. "And I worked harder. And I promised myself I wouldn't need anyone's approval. For anything, ever."

"But then…" she stepped into the living room, his back still to her, "one night, after a case, you looked at me, and you said, 'You got that one right, Temperance.', and I…"

She paused and then walked to stand in front of him. "I felt approved of."

Booth leaned back on his couch, and met her eyes. In them, she could see uncertainty and desire.

"And then, one Christmas, we'd all been quarantined, and when it was lifted, everyone left. But you came back, and invited me to come to dinner with you, and your son."

Booth looked away, the muscle in his jaw working, his hands clenching on his knees.

"And one day" she continued, "I learned my mother was dead." Tears sprang up in her eyes, "And I just wanted to be _alone_. I already _was_ alone, and I wanted to be more alone, _I don't know_…" she didn't wipe her face as two tears trailed down her cheeks. "I don't know how to explain it. I was alone, and I wanted to be alone." Her hands slid down her sides, "But then you knocked on my door, with food, and you talked to me."

The air between them was silent, crackling. Afraid she'd said too much, Brennan was just about to turn and leave when Booth stood up. He still didn't say anything, but just looked at her.

And she looked at him.

Brennan took in his messy hair and clothes. She met his eyes and then turned, walking toward his bathroom. Once she reached the door, she turned, and he walked after her.

Brennan didn't watch him any longer, but just walked into the bathroom. She turned on his shower, and then measured the water's temperature before turning around and motioning for him to get inside.

He took off his clothes and then entered the shower, and she let the curtain fall back into place, sitting on the toilet. She could hear the splash of water against his skin and against the shower floor. "I had a meeting with my publisher today." She spoke to the curtain, and imagined his body on the other side. Imagined his hands in his hair, washing it clean. "My books are being translated into four other languages, which is a pretty big deal, apparently."

Booth still didn't say anything, but she could hear him moving in the shower, his body brushing against the curtain every once in awhile. There were a couple of splashes, and she knew he had squeezed out his washcloth. Standing up and reaching for a clean towel for him, she waited until he turned off the water. He opened up the curtain, and she handed him the towel. "Booth…I guess…what I'm trying to say is that, I have something good in my life, and for a few hours today, I thought I didn't really have anyone to share it with. And I hated that."

Booth towel dried his body, and then looked at her for a moment.

Brennan turned and made her way to his bedroom. She stood near his bed and began removing her clothes. This wasn't a striptease, it was an unveiling of herself. For him. "When something bad happens in my life, you've been there for me."

His eyes traveled over her body, and he grew aroused from the sight. He stepped closer, and Brennan wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him down for a kiss. His hands cupped her waist then, and they tumbled back onto the bed.

It was a tangle of arms and legs until Brennan rolled onto her back and opened herself to him. Guiding his hips to rest against hers, she welcomed him inside.

Booth pressed his face to her neck and she could feel his breath alongside his face. Her hands began sweeping motions over his back and sides as he began a smooth rhythm.

"When something bad happens" she repeated. "You've been there for me, and when something good happens, I want to tell you about it."

His rhythm increased and he pulled back to look into her eyes. They stared at one another, and Brennan could tell he was close to an orgasm. She concentrated on the feel of him inside her and began tightening her muscles there to increase his pleasure. "When something good happens, I don't go to an art museum to celebrate." She confessed. "I want to have a beer with you."

He inhaled sharply, but continued his rhythm, his face a concentration in pleasure.

"When something bad happens, Booth, I don't want to make myself feel better by watching French films, I want to come over to your apartment and talk to you about it."

His face pressed to the side of her neck again, and she thought she felt him mouth her name against her skin. Her arms wrapped around him, and then all at once, her body reacted in pleasure. A release she hadn't even been reaching for spread from her core to her limbs, and she shook with a sharp gasp. "Booth!"

He growled slightly into her neck, her slick passage making his thrusts even easier, and soon, he was gasping her name as he slid into her one final time, his whole body wracked with shudders.

She continued her light caresses along his back and shoulders, letting one hand slide up to the back of his neck, her fingers curling into his damp hair there. "I don't know how else to describe it, Booth, but…when I'm sad, I want to be with you. When I'm happy, I want to be with you. Let's not give up yet. We don't give up on each other."

He swallowed, and she could feel his chest move against hers, and her legs smoothed against the sides of his. He sighed into her neck and kissed her there. Brennan felt his tender affection all the way to her toes.

"Bones?" he rasped against the skin of her neck.

"Yes, Booth?" she asked, sliding her hands over his slick skin,

He pushed up to his elbows, and looked at her. "Bones…" his neck tilted to the side and his eyes closed tight for just a moment, "Bones, do you think maybe…" he swallowed and looked into her eyes, "Maybe you might be falling in love with me…a little?"

Brennan let her hands fall to her sides, and then she reached up to press a kiss on his lips before settling back down to the pillow. "I think I might be" she answered honestly. "I don't know."

He pulled her into a hug and rolled to her side, pulling her tight against him.

--b&b--

Thanks for coming along for the Reality Week Ride! I don't think the next story will be posted this next week, but I will work on it.

This week was a hard lesson in learning that I didn't prepare enough for RW #1. But, i hope you have still enjoyed it. I have!

Thanks again for all for the kind words. B+B are on the upswing! You knew I couldn't let us all go to bed with them in a fight, right? haha

-d


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